A new species of Neosclerocalyptus Paula Couto (Mammalia: Xenarthra: Cingulata): the oldest record of the genus. Morphological and phylogenetic aspects

ZURITA, A. E; TAGLIORETTI, M.; ZAMORANO, M.; SCILLATO-YANÉ, G. J.; LUNA, C.; BOH, D.; MAGNUSSEN SAFER, M.

Congreso; XXVI Jornadas Argentinas de Paleontología de vertebrados; 2013

APA

Among South American Quaternary Glyptodontidae, Neosclerocalyptus Paula Couto represents one of the best known genera. Until this contribution, four species were recognized. N. pseudornatus (Ameghino) and N. ornatus (Owen) (Ensenadan Age/Stage, early-middle Pleistocene); N. gouldi Zurita (Bonaerian Age/Stage, middle Pleistocene-late Pleistocene), and N. paskoensis (Zurita) (Lujanian Age/Stage, late Pleistocene-early Holocene). One of the most noticeable characters of the species of the genus is represented by a modified area located in the distal part of the nasals, recently interpreted as a neomorphic structure derived from the ossification of the nasal cartilages. In this contribution, a new species of Neosclerocalyptus, which also represents the oldest record of the genus, is presented and described. In addition, a cladistic analysis is carried out to test the monophyly of Neosclerocalyptus and the location of this new species. The material (MPH 0114) comes from Vorohuean (late Pliocene) levels in the surroundings of Miramar, Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Among other morphological characters, this new species has ossified nasal cartilages restricted to the latero-dorsal area of the nasals, whereas in the remaining species these structures appear as more expanded and both sides contact in the midline of the skull. In turn, the phylogenetic analysis confirmed the monophyly of Neosclerocalyptus, whereas Neosclerocalyptus sp. nov. appears closely related to N. pseudornatus, being N. ornatus the sister taxa of this clade. On the other hand, N. gouldi + N. paskoensis constitute the other clade. As previous hypothesis the clade constituted by Hoplohorus euphractus Lund + Panochthus intermedius Lydekker constitutes the sister taxa of Neosclerocalyptus.