Análisis morfométrico y morfofuncional del esqueleto apendicular de Paedotherium (Mammalia, Notoungulata)

ELISSAMBURU, A

AMEGHINIANA

Rev. Asoc. Paleontol. Argent.

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2004 p. 363 - 380

0002-7014

AMEGHINIANA (Rev. Asoc. Paleontol. Argent.) - 41 (3): 363-380. Buenos Aires, 30-09-2004 ISSN 0002-7014 Análisis morfométrico y morfofuncional del esqueleto apendicular de Paedotherium (Mammalia, Notoungulata) Andrea ELISSAMBURU1 Abstract. MORPHOMETRIC AND MORPHOFUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE APENDICULAR SKELETON OF PAEDOTHERIUM (MAMMALIA, NOTOUNGULATA). Paedotherium is recorded from the late Miocene to the early Pleistocene. Two Plio-Pleistocene species, P. typicum Ameghino and P. bonaerense Ameghino are recognised. Paedotherium is frequently registered within paleoburrows of the Chapadmalal Formation (Upper Pliocene), suggesting possible fossorial habits for these species. The fossorial habits of these species are evaluated through morphometric and biomechanical analyses. Comparison with extant caviomorph rodents and other small notoungulates are presented. Seven functional indices are calculated: humerus and ulna robustness, humerus deltoid and epicondyle development, olecranon proportion, and femur and tibia robustness. Principal component, discriminate, Pearson correlations and Mann-Whitney mean difference analyses are used to interpret data. Humerus robustness, epicondyle development, olecranon proportion and ulna robustness, are clearly correlated with limb function in living caviomorph rodents and become useful to understand limb function in Paedotherium. Both species are better prepared to develop force rather than speed, and a fossorial habit can be assigned to them, although P. typicum was probably more cursorial. The capacity of the limbs for developing force is present in different lineages of typothere notoungulates, as Hegetotheriidae and Interatheriidae.