The dermal armor of mylodontid sloths (Mammalia, Xenarthra) from Cueva del Milodón (Última Esperanza, Chile)

Toledo, Néstor; Boscaini, Alberto; Pérez, Leandro Martín

doi:10.1002/jmor.21333

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 58 publications

(105 reference statements)

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“…robustum is relatively well represented. A particular feature of the collection is the presence of four association of osteoderms belonging to PIMUZ A/V 484, providing an opportunity to explore osteoderm development in xenarthrans (e.g., McDonald, 2018 ; Toledo et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland

Verger

2023

Swiss J Palaeontol

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The present work concerns xenarthrans from the collection of Santiago (Kaspar Jakob) Roth (1850–1924) housed at the Palaeontological Institute and Museum of the University of Zurich, one of the most important collections of Pleistocene mammals from Argentina in Europe. Roth was a paleontologist originally from Switzerland who prospected and collected a large amount of Pleistocene megafauna of the Pampean Region of Argentina. The xenarthrans are the main representatives of this collection in Zurich, with 150 specimens. Since 1920, this material has not been revised and is under studied. The present investigation corresponds to a taxonomic revision resulting in 114 reassignments, leading to document xenarthran diversity and discuss their paleoecologies. The high diversity reflects the paleoecology of the Pampean Region during the Pleistocene, with the various abiotic events that impacted the paleoenvironment of this region. Within the Cingulata, the Pampean Region fauna was probably dominated by glyptodonts with a high representation of Glyptodontinae and Neosclerocalyptinae while within the sloths the highest diversity and abundance is found in the Mylodontinae and Scelidotheriinae. These four clades represent both species with high ecological tolerance (e.g., Glyptodon munizi; Catonyx tarijensis) and ecologically highly specialized species (e.g., Neosclerocalyptus paskoensis; Scelidotherium leptocephalum). The presence of such ecological diversity underlines the status of the Pampean Region as a major interest for paleoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstruction.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland

Verger

2023

Swiss J Palaeontol

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A large-sized mammalian coprolite containing ground sloth osteoderms from the Upper Pleistocene Touro Passo Formation of Brazil

Jacob,

Diniz,

Kerber

et al. 2024

Journal of South American Earth Sciences

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Stabbing Spines: A review of the Biomechanics and Evolution of Defensive Spines

Crofts

Stankowich

2021

Integrative and Comparative Biology

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Spines are ubiquitous in both plants and animals, and while most spines were likely originally used for defense, over time many have been modified in a variety of ways. Here we take an integrative approach to review the form, function, and evolution of spines as a defensive strategy in order to make new connections between physical mechanisms and functional behavior. While this review focuses on spines in mammals, we reference and draw ideas from the literature on spines in other taxa, including plants. We begin by exploring the biomechanics of defensive spines, their varied functions, and non-defensive modifications. We pay particular attention to the mechanics involved in passive puncture and the ways organisms have overcome limitations associated with the low energy input. We then focus on the ecological, physiological, and behavioral factors that promote the evolution of spiny defenses, including predator- and habitat-mediated hypotheses. While there is considerable evidence to support both, studies have generally found that (1) defensive spines are usually effective against one class of attacker (e.g., larger predators) but ineffective against others or even facilitate predation by others, and (2) species that are more visible or exposed to predators are under much stronger selection to evolve defensive spines or some other robust defense. What type of defensive morphology that evolves, however, is less predictable and probably strongly dependent on both the dominant source of predation and the habitat structure of the organism (e.g., arboreal, terrestrial, fossorial). We then explore traits that are often correlated with defensive spines and armor, potentially forming armor syndromes, suites of traits that evolve together with body armor in a correlated fashion. In mammals, these include aposematic warning coloration, locomotion style, diet, metabolic rate, and relative brain size. Finally, we encourage integration of mechanistic and evolutionary studies of defensive spines and suggest future avenues of research in the biomechanics, evolution, and behavior of spines and spiny organisms.

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The dermal armor of mylodontid sloths (Mammalia, Xenarthra) from Cueva del Milodón (Última Esperanza, Chile)

Cited by 5 publications

References 58 publications

Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland

Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland

A large-sized mammalian coprolite containing ground sloth osteoderms from the Upper Pleistocene Touro Passo Formation of Brazil

Stabbing Spines: A review of the Biomechanics and Evolution of Defensive Spines

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