A NEW PLEISTOCENE VERTEBRATE ASSEMBLAGE IN A TAR PIT FROM EL BREAL DE OROCUAL, NORTHEAST VENEZUELA.

RINCÓN, A. D., PARRAS, G., PREVOSTI, F. J., STEADMAN, D. Y ALBERDI, M.

Austin, Texas, USA

Congreso; 67 Th Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology; 2007

SVP

We report a new vertebrate fossil locality, El Breal de Orocual, 20km northwest of Maturin, Monagas state, Venezuela. Thirty one vertebrate taxa in a tar seep deposit in the Mesa Formation. Published reports consider the Mesa Formation to be fluvio-deltaic strata of the Early to Middle Pleistocene. Thermoluminiscences dates of 0.5 to 1.0 Ka BP have been reported. The presence of Caiman sp., Anatidae, and other aquatic birds (Aff. Recurvirostridae), Tapirus Cf. T. webbi (First record to South America) and Hydrochaeridae, are consistent with a fluvio-deltaic environment. The presences of Erethizontidae, Proechimys sp., suggest an arboreal component in the area. Eremotherium sp., Pachyarmatherium leiseyi (First record for South America), Tayassu sp., Propraopus sulcatus, and Mixotoxodon larensis, suggests an ecotonal zone between forest and savanna. Hippidion sp., Holmesina occidentalis, Pampatherium humboldtii, Glyptodon sp., Aff. Hoplophorus (First record to Venezuela), Paleolama sp., suggests a savanna environment in El Breal de Orocual. We also report: Testudines indeterminate, Aff. Geochelone, Colubridae, Cathartidae, Accipitridae, Didelphis sp., Megalonychidae, Mylodontidae, Protocyon sp., Canis sp., Machairodontinae-Homotherini (confirmed record to South America), Platygonus sp. (First record to Venezuela), Proboscidea indeter. The preliminary environment interpretation of El Breal de Orocual looks like to the Venezuelan Llanos today, an extensive savannas with rivers with arboreal patches insert.