Sistemática, ecología y bioestratigrafía de Eocardiidae (Rodentia: hystricognathi: cavioidea) del Mioceno temprano y medio de Patagonia

Abstract

Se plantean los siguientes objetivos para esta Tesis Doctoral: 1) Realizar el estudio taxonómico de las especies de-Eocardiidae‖y poner a prueba su monofilia a través de un análisis cladístico, 2) Estimar la masa corporal de las especies de-Eocardiidae‖y contrastar su evolución con los cambios climático-ambientales acaecidos en América del Sur durante el Oligoceno tardío-Mioceno medio y 3) Realizar un análisis de ajuste estratigráfico, evaluar la presencia de linajes fantasmas y analizar la historia evolutiva de Cavioidea s. s.

Ecological and phylogenetic influence on mandible shape variation of South American caviomorph rodents (Rodentia: Hystricomorpha)

“…Chinchilloids showed intermediate positions. In addition, within cavioids, Dolichotis and Pediolagus (Caviidae, Dolichotinae) were separated from the rest of caviids (Caviinae and Hydrochoerinae), which is consistent with previous hypotheses on the phylogenetic relationships among these clades (Vieytes, Verzi & Vucetich, 2001; Woods & Kilpatrick, 2005; Pérez, 2010). Similarly, the chinchillids Chinchilla and Lagidium clustered apart from Lagostomus , which is in agreement with the recognition of the Chinchillinae and Lagostominae subfamilial clades within Chinchillidae (McKenna & Bell, 1997; Spotorno et al ., 2004).…”

“…The oldest fossils representing such divergence are fragmentary. Nevertheless, distinctive mandibular traits of each superfamily, as for those examined in the present study, are recorded at least since the early Miocene (Scott, 1905; Vucetich & Verzi, 1996; Pérez, 2010; Vucetich, Kramarz & Candela, 2010a). This pattern of early establishment of the major pathways of specialization in the mandible of caviomorphs would explain the observed strong phylogenetic influence on the morphological variation of this structure.…”

Functional morphology of the forelimb of Early Miocene caviomorph rodents from Patagonia

“…), a taxonomically diverse group of caviomorphs evolved in isolation in South America. In the early Miocene Santa Cruz Formation (SCF) of Patagonia, an important and diverse sample (20 genera sensu Scott ) of caviomorphs is recorded (Ameghino ; Scott ; Candela ; Pérez ). The four extant superfamilies were already represented in the SCF, which allows comparison of the Santacrucian and extant rodents within the same taxonomic levels (Candela et al .…”