A review of the Quaternary Tayassuidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from the Tarija Valley, Bolivia

GASPARINI, G. M.; SOIBELZON, E.; ZURITA, A. E.; MIÑO BOILINI, A. R.

ALCHERINGA

TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Año: 2010 vol. 34 p. 7 - 20

0311-5518

Three genera of Tayassuidae are recognized in South America: Platygonus Le Conte, 1848, Catagonus Ameghino,1904 and Tayassu Fischer, 1814. This study provides the first systematic review of the Pleistocene tayassuids yetreported from Bolivia. The richest records of the family in South America derived from central-eastern Argentinaand southern Brazil. Catagonus stenocephalus (Lund in Reinhardt, 1880) is documented for the first time in Bolivia,significantly extending the geographic distribution of this species in South America. We cannot confirm the validityof Platygonus tarijensis (Ameghino, 1904), but accept its generic allocation. Both taxa show adaptations to arid orsemi-arid and relatively open environments, which is consistent with the palaeoenvironmental conditions previouslyproposed for the Tarija Valley. The veracity of other records of the family from Bolivia cannot be confirmed.