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MEGATHERIUM CELENDINENSE SP. NOV. FROM THE PLEISTOCENE OF THE PERUVIAN ANDES and THE PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF MEGATHERIINES
Author(s) -
PUJOS FRANÇOIS
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
palaeontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.69
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1475-4983
pISSN - 0031-0239
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2006.00522.x
Subject(s) - subgenus , monophyly , anatomy , biology , geology , postcrania , paleontology , genus , stipule , botany , clade , taxon , phylogenetics , biochemistry , gene
A new Pleistocene megatheriine, Megatherium celendinense sp. nov., is reported from a cave in the north of the Peruvian Andes. It is the largest Andean Megatheriinae and is characterized by a short, massive, Y‐shaped premaxilla unfused to the maxilla, a dorsoventrally compressed occiput perpendicular to the dorsal plane of the cranial roof, prominent and posteriorly extended occipital condyles, an extremely reduced deltopectoral crest and a poorly marked musculospiral groove on the humerus, a rectilinear anterior margin of the distal epiphysis of the tibia, a concave lateral margin of the fibula, discoid and ectal facets of the astragalus clearly separated in dorsolateral view, and a pedestaled articular facet for the meso‐entocuneiform on the ectocuneiform. The monophyly of the subfamily is confirmed. ( Pyramiodontherium , Megatheriops , Megatherium and Eremotherium ) constitute a monophyletic clade and ( Pyramiodontherium , Megatheriops ) and ( Eremotherium , Megatherium ) are sister groups. The genus Megatherium includes two clades: ( M. altiplanicum , M. americanum ), subgenus Megatherium , and an Andean lineage ( M. sundti , M. urbinai , M. celendinense sp. nov., M. tarijense , M. medinae ), subgenus Pseudomegatherium . Anatomical characters suggest a more quadrupedal stance for Andean Megatheriinae (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile) than those from lower altitude regions.