New Pleistocene remains of Megatherium filholi Moreno, 1888 (Mammalia, Xenarthra) from the Pampean Region: Implications for the diversity of Megatheriinae of the Quaternary of South America

AGNOLIN, F. L.; CHIMENTO, N.; BRANDONI, D.; BOH, D.; CAMPO, D. H.; MAGNUSSEN, M; DE CIANNI, F.

NEUES JAHRBUCH FUR GEOLOGIE UND PALAONTOLOGIE-ABHANDLUNGEN

E SCHWEIZERBARTSCHE VERLAGS

Lugar: Stuttgart; Año: 2018 vol. 289 p. 339 - 348

0077-7749

Recent analyses resulted in the recognition of a single species of the genus Megatherium in the pampas of Argentina. The finding of a specimen consisting on a dentary and femur from the late Pleistocene of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, indicates that a very small-sized species of the genus was present in the Pampean Region. This allows revalidating the taxon Megatherium filholi, previously considered as junior synonym of another taxon. Megatherium filholi appears to be allied to Megatherium species of the ?Andean clade?. This, together with finding of additional small-sized megatheriines in the Argentine pampas, suggests a complex palaeobiogeographical scenario, and indicates that the diversity of megatheriines at the pampas may be underrepresented.