Enigmatic mammal from the Paleogene of Perú

GOIN, F.J., VIEYTES, C., VUCETICH, M.G., CARLINI, A.A. Y BOND M.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series

LOS ANGELES

Año: 2004 vol. 40 p. 145 - 153

1571-0866

Enigmatic Mammal from the Paleogene of Perú Francisco J. GOIN1, Emma Carolina VIEYTES2, María Guiomar VUCETICH1, Alfredo A. CARLINI1 and Mariano BOND1 1 Departamento Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de la Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina. fgoin@museo.fcnym.unlp.edu.ar, vucetich@museo.fcnym.unlp.edu.ar, palvert@museo.fcnym.unlp.edu.ar (M. Bond), and acarlini@museo.fcnym.unlp.edu.ar. 2 Departamento Zoología Vertebrados, Museo de la Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina. cvieytes@museo.fcnym.unlp.edu.ar. Abstract. We describe an isolated molariform tooth excavated from Eocene deposits at Santa Rosa, Perú. The specimen most probably belongs to a mammal, and it may correspond to a left upper last molar. Analysis of its enamel and dentine microstructure leads to no definite conclusion as to its relationships, or even as to its enamel-dentine structural patterns. Taphonomic processess, e.g., digestion of the specimen by a predator, seem to be involved in some of its peculiar characteristics. Its unique gross morphology prevents us from assigning it to any known mammal with confidence. Several features of its cusp and crest morphology resemble the general pattern of Late Cretaceous-Eocene gondwanatherian mammals, especially that of Ferugliotherium windhauseni (Ferugliotheriidae).