First record of Equus neogeus from Abaucán River (Catamarca, Argentina)

GARCÍA EUGENIA ; JOSÉ LUIS PRADO; BONINI RICARDO ; ALBERDI, MARÍA T.

ESTUDIOS GEOLOGICOS

CONSEJO SUPERIOR INVESTIGACIONES CIENTAFICAS

Lugar: Madrid; Año: 2018 vol. 74 p. 1 - 12

0367-0449

The fossil vertebrate record in Catamarca province is widely recognized in the Neogene deposits, but the quaternary mammal records are poorly represented. Here, we describe remains of fossil horses from Pleistocene sedimentsoutcropping in the Abaucán River in the locality of Tinogasta. A comparative study was made with the known record of these groups of mammals in South America, identifying the remains as Equus neogeus, which constitutes the first records of this species for the Late Pleistocene of Catamarca (Argentina). These data increase the record of Equidae in South America and provide new evidence about the chronological and geographical distribution. Equus neogeus is the largest and slenderest morphotype of the South American horses, and occurs in eastern South America, but does not recorded outside of lowland Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. This is the first record in the higher altitude regions. In addition, the lithostratigraphic context was analyzed, allowing paleoecologicalconsiderations. The chronostratigraphic context recognize that the carrier levels are referable to the Lujanian Age.