A PLEISTOCENE GIANT RIVER OTTER FROM ARGENTINA: REMARKS ON THE FOSSIL RECORD AND PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS

PREVOSTI, F. J. Y FERRERO, B. S.

JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY

SVP

Año: 2008 p. 1 - 49

0272-4634

The fossil record of Neotropical Lutrinae is very incomplete, with only a several specimens of Lontra and two records of Pteronura. The published records of PteronuraLontra and two records of Pteronura. The published records of Pteronura correspond to remains of P. brasiliensis found in the “Late Pleistocene” of Brazil, but they lack stratigraphic contexts and their age could range at least between 380-0.9 ka. P.P. brasiliensis found in the “Late Pleistocene” of Brazil, but they lack stratigraphic contexts and their age could range at least between 380-0.9 ka. P.P. brasiliensis, the giant river otter, lives in rivers and lakes of the northern middle part of South America, and has been related to the North American fossil otter Satherium. In this work we describe and compare using classical morphological descriptive and multivariate analysis a new and very complete specimen of Pteronura found in the Entre Ríos province (Argentina), discuss the importance of this specimen for the fossil record of taxa, and perform a preliminary phylogenetic analysis. The new specimen agrees in morphometric and qualitative characters with the recent species P., the giant river otter, lives in rivers and lakes of the northern middle part of South America, and has been related to the North American fossil otter Satherium. In this work we describe and compare using classical morphological descriptive and multivariate analysis a new and very complete specimen of Pteronura found in the Entre Ríos province (Argentina), discuss the importance of this specimen for the fossil record of taxa, and perform a preliminary phylogenetic analysis. The new specimen agrees in morphometric and qualitative characters with the recent species P.Satherium. In this work we describe and compare using classical morphological descriptive and multivariate analysis a new and very complete specimen of Pteronura found in the Entre Ríos province (Argentina), discuss the importance of this specimen for the fossil record of taxa, and perform a preliminary phylogenetic analysis. The new specimen agrees in morphometric and qualitative characters with the recent species P.Pteronura found in the Entre Ríos province (Argentina), discuss the importance of this specimen for the fossil record of taxa, and perform a preliminary phylogenetic analysis. The new specimen agrees in morphometric and qualitative characters with the recent species P.P. brasiliensis, but is little bigger and presents some minor differences in skull morphology and dentition. These differences are interpreted as intraespecific variation, thus the fossil is determined as P. brasiliensis. In the phylogenetic analysis the new record is clustered with P. brasiliensis, corroborating the taxonomic determination and bringing some support to the relationship between Satherium and Pteronura. The new specimen is the first fossil specimen of the genus for Argentina, and the oldest corroborated record of 130-125 ka in age., but is little bigger and presents some minor differences in skull morphology and dentition. These differences are interpreted as intraespecific variation, thus the fossil is determined as P. brasiliensis. In the phylogenetic analysis the new record is clustered with P. brasiliensis, corroborating the taxonomic determination and bringing some support to the relationship between Satherium and Pteronura. The new specimen is the first fossil specimen of the genus for Argentina, and the oldest corroborated record of 130-125 ka in age.P. brasiliensis. In the phylogenetic analysis the new record is clustered with P. brasiliensis, corroborating the taxonomic determination and bringing some support to the relationship between Satherium and Pteronura. The new specimen is the first fossil specimen of the genus for Argentina, and the oldest corroborated record of 130-125 ka in age.P. brasiliensis, corroborating the taxonomic determination and bringing some support to the relationship between Satherium and Pteronura. The new specimen is the first fossil specimen of the genus for Argentina, and the oldest corroborated record of 130-125 ka in age.Satherium and Pteronura. The new specimen is the first fossil specimen of the genus for Argentina, and the oldest corroborated record of 130-125 ka in age.