description of materials of Panochthus Burmeister (Xenarthra; Cingulata; Glyptodontidae) recorded at higher altitudes.

ZAMORANO M.; OLIVA C. G

Congreso; 2nd Palaeontological Virtual Congress; 2020

Panochthus Burmeister constitutes one of the most abundant, diversified and widely distributed xenarthrans of the South American Pleistocene, as well as one of the glyptodontids with higher latitudinal and altitudinal distributions. In this contribution are analyzed those records assigned to the genus, recovered at higher altitudes. In decreasing order of height / elevation: (1) Panochthus hipsilis: fragmentary skull, two vertebrae, almost complete dorsal armor (MURB 1906A/B, holotype) and caudal tube (MHNS 8, paratype); surroundings of Potosí (Bolivia); ̴ 4000 meters. (2) Panochthus sp.: isolated osteoderm (MUSM-s/n); Desaguadero (Perú); ̴ 3800 meters. (3) Panochthus intermedius: almost complete specimen (MHNC-13491); vicinity of Cochabamba (Bolivia); ̴ 2600 meters. (4) Panochthus sp.: dorsal osteoderm and caudal tube portions (MNPA/V 006598); Tarija Valley (Bolivia); ̴ 1870 meters. (5) Panochthus sp.: caudal tube (MUFyCA 383); Traslasierra Valley (Argentina); ̴ 920 meters. P. hipsilis representaría una especie endémica del Altiplano Boliviano sería probable entonces que estuviese adaptado a altitudes altas. Éxiste una probable relationship between geographical altitude and body mass in P. intermedius; el holotipo que procede de la llanura pampeana es significativamente de mayor tamaño del paratipo hallado en el altiplano boliviano. Esta relación fue señalada también para otros xenartros, e.g. Megatheriinae y otros gliptodóntidos (Glyptodon).