The Pleistocene Glyptodontidae Gray (Xenarthra: Cingulata) of. Colombia and some considerations about the South American Glyptodontinae.

ZURITA, A.E.; MIÑO BOILINI, A. R.; FRANCIA A.; ARENAS-MOSQUERA, J.E.

Jornada; XXVI Jornadas Argentinas de Paleontología de Vertebrados; 2012

Until recently, one well-characterized Pleistocene genus of the subfamily GlyptodontinaeGray, Glyptodon Owen, was recognized in South America. In recent times some authorshave demonstrated, through the re-analysis of material originally classified as Glyptodonand Hoplophorus Lund, the presence of a second species belonging to the North AmericanGlyptodontinae Glyptotherium Osborn (ca. 58-12 ka), present in Venezuela and Brazil.This particular situation requires a new study, with modern taxonomical criteria, of thosematerials belonging to Glyptodontinae, particularly in those territories where theknowledge of these taxa is scarce. Here we present a new analysis of the Glyptodontidaecoming from Colombia, including some taxonomic and paleobiogeographic remarks. Theresults show that the only reported Glyptodontidae in Colombia belongs to Glyptodon sp.In turn, the evidence suggests that only one single species of Glyptotherium is present inSouth America, currently assigned to Glyptotherium cf. Gl. cylindricum Brown. However, amore accurate analysis is necessary to confirm or refute this taxonomic identification. Untilnow, Glyptotherium is present in a strip parallel to Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean(northern Venezuela and eastern area of Brazil), up to 20° S, and always linked tolowlands. This geographic distribution agrees with the hypothesis of the eastern corridoroccurred during the GABI. Below this latitude, the only recorded Glyptodontinaecorresponds to Glyptodon, which is also registered in a strip parallel to the Cordillera de losAndes reaching Colombia and Venezuela. Taking account this distribution, it cannot bediscarded the presence of this genus in Central America.