Fossil Studies, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 3(2), С. 7 - 7
Опубликована: Май 24, 2025
The extant Patagonian mara Dolichotis patagonum (Zimmermann, 1780) is a cursorial herbivorous rodent that hare-like in appearance. Nowadays, it occurs some ecoregions of Argentina (28 °S–50 °S) lowland habitats, semi-arid thorn-scrub, open grasslands and shrub–land steppe. In this research, we have studied partially preserved skull (FCDPV-2758), referred to D. patagonum, from the Late Pleistocene (Sopas Formation) northern Uruguay (Arapey Grande River, Salto Department). Body mass estimates morphological analyses were performed including contemporary specimens Chaco salinicola, extinct dolichotine species. body estimate using regression method geometric similarity suggested 6–8 kg range for specimen, which consistent with (7–8 kg) notably greater than salinicola (1–2.3 kg). A comparative analysis, platycephala material previously major southwestern Uruguay, suggests specimen falls within variation differing part chapalmalense more clearly minor Prodolichotis prisca. implications wider geographic distributions living at these latitudes South America, paleoenvironmental significance are discussed.
Язык: Английский