Paleozoogeographic, biostratigraphic, and systematic aspects of the Genus Sclerocalyptus Ameghino, 1891 (Xenarthra, Glyptodontidae) of Argentina

ZURITA A., SCILLATO-YANÉ G.J. Y CARLINI A.A.

JOURNAL OF SOUTH AMERICAN EARTH SCIENCES

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2005 vol. 20 p. 121 - 129

0895-9811

Paleozoogeographic, biostratigraphic, and systematic aspects of the Genus Sclerocalyptus Ameghino, 1891 (Xenarthra, Glyptodontidae) of Argentina Alfredo Zurita*, Gustavo J. Scillato-Yane´, Alfredo A. Carlini Departamento Cientı´fico Paleontologı´a Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, UNLP, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina Received 1 April 2003; accepted 30 June 2005 Abstract Using species of the genus Sclerocalyptus Ameghino, 1891, found in Argentina and considered valid, the authors recognize: (1) four species for the Ensenadan stage (Late Pliocene–Middle Pleistocene): S. pseudornatus (Ameghino), restricted to Buenos Aires province; S. ornatus (Owen), recorded at Buenos Aires, Co´rdoba, and Santa Fe provinces; S. perfectus (Gervais and Ameghino) in Buenos Aires and Santiago del Estero provinces; and S. cordubensis (Ameghino), endemic to west-central Co´rdoba province; (2) a single species for the Bonaerian stage (Middle–Late Pleistocene), S. migoyanus, restricted to the Buenos Aires province; and (3) Lujanian taxa (Late Pleistocene– Early Holocene) represented by Sclerocalyptus cf. S. heusseri (Ameghino), distributed in Buenos Aires, Co´rdoba, Tucuma´n, Corrientes, and Santa Fe provinces, and S. evidens (Ameghino) in Salta province. From a paleoenvironmental standpoint, the Sclerocalyptus species show adaptations to arid–semiarid and cold environments, such as strong development of the fronto-nasal sinuses, a characteristic that probably appeared during the Sanadresian–Ensenadan. Sclerocalyptus is not frequent in those areas in which relatively more humid and warm climates than those inferred for the Pampean region and central northern Argentina (e.g. Mesopotamia, west of Uruguay, south of Brazil) prevailed during the Quaternary.