Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae)

Gaudin, Timothy J.; Hicks, Patrick; Blanco, Yamil Edgardo Di

doi:10.1093/mspecies/sey001

Cited by 46 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…7), from low to medium-high latitudes. This is in line with the evolution of larger body sizes since when this attribute increases, the foraging area also increases and, with it, the distributional range, according the general foraging strategy of the extant myrmecophagids (Naples 1999; Toledo et al 2017; Gaudin et al 2018). The co-occurrence pattern of N. borealis and Gen. et sp.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…8), Neotamandua was involved in a niche evolution process within Myrmecophagidae which implied a significative increase in dietary diversity as myrmecophagous and expansion of substrate use and biome selection. Probably the species of this genus preferred the frequent use of the ground by biomechanical constraints and made inroads into largely open environments as humid savannahs, without excluding use of forested environments, like Myrmecophaga (Fuster et al 2018; Gaudin et al 2018). The former model is further supported from the evolutionary response pattern to major climatic-vegetational changes documented by Badgley et al (2008) in a faunal sequence of mammals from the Late Miocene of southern Asia, according to which the trophic niche evolution and, particularly the expansion of this attribute, in conjunction with habitat changes, is related to increase in the probabilities of local and regional survivorship in the studied lineages.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This dispersal event is part of the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI), specifically the episode referred as GABI 2 (Woodburne 2010). Today, the northern boundary of this species is located in northern Central America, over 3000 Km to the south of the northernmost fossil record (Gaudin et al 2018). This distributional difference was interpreted by Shaw & McDonald (1987) from the occurrence of warmer and more humid conditions in the Early Pleistocene of southern North America (southern United States-northern Mexico) than today in the same area.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…8), possibly in parallel with the same pattern in species groups of its prey insects (Thompson 1994). Even more, the fact that Myrmecophagidae currently accumulates its highest species richness in the warmest and wettest belt of the Americas (Hayssen 2011; Navarrete & Ortega 2011; Miranda et al 2017; Gaudin et al 2018) is further interpreted as evidence that this higher taxon represents support for the tropical niche conservatism hypothesis (TCH; Wiens & Donoghue 2004; Wiens & Graham 2005). However, in line with the discussion above, this major ecological constraint in Myrmecophagidae is not only related to environmental thermal tolerance (see McNab [1985] for an analysis on the thermophysiological constraints of the Xenarthra; McNab [1984] also discussed the same issue for myrmecophagous mammals), as emphasized by TCH, but it is also driven by food availability, at least by limiting or preventing historical colonization of low-productivity regions far from the tropics (Shaw & McDonald 1987; McDonald 2005; Šímová & Storch 2017; Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The living anteaters, whose mean body mass ranges from ~0.4 and 30 kilograms (Gaudin et al 2018), are highly, morphologically specialized mammals by exhibiting remarkable skeleton and soft-anatomy modifications, which are closely linked to their myrmecophagous diets, i.e. diets consisting of at least 90% of ants/termites (Redford 1987; McDonald et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The first fossil skull of an anteater (Vermilingua, Myrmecophagidae) from northern South America, a taxonomic reassessment ofNeotamanduaand a discussion of the myrmecophagid diversification

Jiménez-Lara

González

2019

Preprint

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The evolutionary history of the South American anteaters, Vermilingua, is incompletely known as consequence of the fragmentary and geographically biased nature of the fossil record of this group. Neotamandua borealis is the only recorded extinct species from northern South America, specifically from the Middle Miocene of La Venta area, southwestern Colombia. A new genus and species of myrmecophagid for La Venta, Gen. et sp. nov., is here described based on a new partial skull. Additionally, given that the co-occurrent species of Gen. et sp. nov., N. borealis, was originally referred to as Neotamandua, the taxonomic status of this genus is revised. The morphological and taxonomic analyses of these taxa indicate that Gen. et sp. nov. may be related to Tamandua and that the justification of the generic assignments of the species referred to as Neotamandua is weak or insufficient. Two species previously referred to as Neotamandua (N. magna and N.? australis) were designated as species inquirendae and new diagnostic information for the redefined genus and its type species, N. conspicua, is provided. Together, these results suggest that the diversification of Myrmecophagidae was taxonomically and biogeographically more complex than what has been proposed so far. Considering the new evidence, it is proposed a synthetic model on the diversification of these xenartrans during the late Cenozoic based on the probable relationships between their intrinsic ecological constraints and some major abiotic changes in the Americas.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The first fossil skull of an anteater (Vermilingua, Myrmecophagidae) from northern South America, a taxonomic reassessment ofNeotamanduaand a discussion of the myrmecophagid diversification

Jiménez-Lara

González

2019

Preprint

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Xenarthra and Pholidota (Armadillos, Anteaters, Sloths and Pangolins)

Gaudin

2021

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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The mammalian order Xenarthra includes the armadillos, sloths and anteaters and the extinct glyptodonts; the mammalian order Pholidota comprises the pangolins or scaly anteaters. Although they were once thought to be closely related, Xenarthra is now generally considered to represent one of the four primary divisions of placental mammals, with pangolins placed in a separate division. Xenarthrans are united by a suite of unusual anatomical features, primary among them the presence of extra joints in their backbones, whereas pangolin's most notable feature is their external covering of overlapping, horny scales. Both xenarthrans and pholidotans are typified by adaptations for digging and for feeding on ants and termites, though climbing forms are also common, and sloths and their relatives are herbivorous. Both orders are relatively small, with Xenarthra comprising 38 living species and Pholidota only 8, but Xenarthra also includes a very extensive extinct radiation of highly unusual mammals, including giant herbivorous sloths and the massively armoured, herbivorous glyptodonts. Xenarthrans are found in a variety of habitats throughout Central and South America, as well as southern North America, whereas pangolins are confined to the Old World tropics, from sub‐Saharan Africa to Southeast Asia, mostly in forested habitats. Key Concepts The order Xenarthra includes the living armadillos, sloths and anteaters, along with unusual extinct forms such as ground sloths and glyptodonts; the order Pholidota comprises the living pangolins or scaly anteaters. Xenarthra and Pholidota were once considered close relatives but are now thought to be only distantly related among placental mammals. Xenarthrans are united by their possession of a suite of unusual anatomical features, in particular extra joints found in the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae; each subgroup has its own unique anatomical adaptations, for example the complex bony carapace of the armadillos. Pholidotans are characterised by an external covering of overlapping, horny or keratinous epidermal scales. Both Xenarthra and Pholidota are small in terms of the living diversity of species, but Xenarthra is more diverse, with three very different subgroups. Xenarthrans and pholidotans are found in a variety of habitats throughout the New World and Old World tropics, respectively, and both contain many threatened species, due largely to hunting pressure and habitat destruction. However, pangolins have become the most illegally trafficked animals in the world, leaving all eight species critically endangered. Most of the species in Xenarthra and Pholidota are characterised by adaptations for digging and for eating ants and termites, though both groups include climbing forms, and Xenarthra also includes a radiation of arboreal herbivores, the sloths. The modern xenarthran fauna is only an impoverished remnant of a once much more diverse radiation, one that included such extraordinary creatures as giant ground sloths, pampatheres (giant herbivorous armadillos) and glyptodonts (heavily armoured, herbivorous relatives of armadillos). Palaeanodonts are an extinct group of digging, ant‐ or insect‐eating specialists that may be related to pangolins.

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Effect of captivity on the vertebral bone microstructure of xenarthran mammals

Zack

Smith

Angielczyk

2021

The Anatomical Record

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Captive specimens in museum collections facilitate study of rare taxa, but the lifestyles, diets, and lifespans of captive animals differ from their wild counterparts. Trabecular bone architecture adapts to in vivo forces, and may reflect interspecific variation in ecology and behavior as well as intraspecific variation between captive and wild specimens. We compared trunk vertebrae bone microstructure in captive and wild xenarthran mammals to test the effects of ecology and captivity. We collected μCT scans of the last six presacral vertebrae in 13 fossorial, terrestrial, and suspensorial xenarthran species (body mass: 120 g to 35 kg). For each vertebra, we measured centrum length; bone volume fraction (BV.TV); trabecular number and mean thickness (Tb.Th); global compactness (GC); cross‐sectional area; mean intercept length; star length distribution; and connectivity and connectivity density. Wild specimens have more robust trabeculae, but this varies with species, ecology, and pathology. Wild specimens of fossorial taxa (Dasypus) have more robust trabeculae than captives, but there is no clear difference in bone microstructure between wild and captive specimens of suspensorial taxa (Bradypus, Choloepus), suggesting that locomotor ecology influences the degree to which captivity affects bone microstructure. Captive Tamandua and Myrmecophaga have higher BV.TV, Tb.Th, and GC than their wild counterparts due to captivity‐caused bone pathologies. Our results add to the understanding of variation in mammalian bone microstructure, suggest caution when including captive specimens in bone microstructure research, and indicate the need to better replicate the habitats, diets, and behavior of animals in captivity.

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Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae)

Cited by 46 publications

References 42 publications

The first fossil skull of an anteater (Vermilingua, Myrmecophagidae) from northern South America, a taxonomic reassessment ofNeotamanduaand a discussion of the myrmecophagid diversification

The first fossil skull of an anteater (Vermilingua, Myrmecophagidae) from northern South America, a taxonomic reassessment ofNeotamanduaand a discussion of the myrmecophagid diversification

Xenarthra and Pholidota (Armadillos, Anteaters, Sloths and Pangolins)

Effect of captivity on the vertebral bone microstructure of xenarthran mammals

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