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In the five chapters of this dissertation, I investigate the paleobiology of SouthAmerican native ungulates (SANUs) and caviomorph rodents. Although these studiesinvolve different taxonomic groups and employ disparate methods, most rely onpreviously undescribed fossils to interrogate broader evolutionary questions.In the first chapter, I describe early Miocene litopterns (a group of SANUs) fromPampa Castillo, Aysén Region, Chile, and perform a phylogenetic analysis of one of itssubgroups, Proterotheriidae. Litoptern taxa from Pampa Castillo include themacraucheniid Theosodon and proterotheriids Thoatherium and Picturotherium,corroborating the fauna’s assignment to the Santacrucian South American landmammal age (SALMA). My phylogenetic analysis, which indicates that“Anisolambdidae” forms a non-monophyletic cluster within Proterotheriidae, is thefoundation of a new stem-based definition for Proterotheriidae. This chapter waspublished in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology in 2020.My second chapter describes two new proterotheriids from the middle Miocene ofQuebrada Honda, Tarija Department, Bolivia, and analyzes litoptern diversity and body size evolution in a phylogenetic context. These taxa, Olisanophus riorosarioensis gen.et sp. nov. and Olisanophus akilachuta gen. et sp. nov., greatly clarify proterotheriidevolution in mid-latitude South America. The diversity analysis indicates that thesegroups were more diverse than previously appreciated, particularly during thePaleogene. Macraucheniids increased in body size throughout the Cenozoic, whereasproterotheriids followed a similar trend during the Paleogene, but did not change in sizeduring the Neogene. This chapter was published in Ameghiniana in 2020.Cavioid, chinchilloid, and erethizontoid caviomorph rodents from Pampa Castilloare described in the third chapter. Cavioids are represented by Luantus minor, Eocardiacf. excavata, and Neoreomys australis, the last of which is the most abundantlyrepresented mammal in the Pampa Castillo fauna. Chinchilloids are represented by fourspecies of Perimys (P. erutus, P. onustus, P. intermedius, and a yet unnamed speciespreviously described from the Pinturas Formation), Prolagostomus pusillus, Scleromysquadrangulatus, and a probable new species of Scleromys. This assemblagerepresents a mixture of two well-known, contemporaneous fossil faunas previouslyrecognized from the lower + middle sequences of the Pinturas Formation and the SantaCruz Formation. The phylogenetic affinities and relative abundance of these taxasuggest the paleoenvironment of Pampa Castillo was similarly intermediate betweenthese two better-known faunas.In the fourth chapter, I describe the octodontoid caviomorphs from PampaCastillo and conduct a faunal similarity analysis of Pampa Castillo and ten other early tomiddle Miocene (Colhuehuapian–Friasian/Colloncuran SALMAs) Patagonian rodentfaunas. Eight octodontoids occur at Pampa Castillo, three of them likely representingnew species of Caviocricetus, Dudumus, and Prostichomys. The other five are referredto previously described taxa: Acarechimys minutus, Acarechimys constans,Acarechimys cf. minutissimus, Acaremys cf. murinus, and Spaniomys cf. riparius.Faunal similarity analyses yielded inconsistent results depending on whether genus- orspecies-level data were used. The combined results of these analyses and recentlypublished geochronological data suggest that the ‘Pinturan’ biochronologic interval isnot valid; faunas referred to it should instead be assigned to the Santacrucian SALMA.I analyze the proximal ankle bones of litoptern and notoungulate (another SANUgroup) from the early Miocene Santa Cruz Formation, Argentina with the aim ofassessing their utility in systematic studies and whether linear measurements or twodimensional(2D) landmarks are more effective for assessing morphological differences.The ultimate goal of this research is to allow robust inferences about the locomotoryhabits of the sampled taxa. These results suggest that isolated tarsals may be identifiedto family and genus-level, but this conclusion needs further testing. Quantitative testsshow that tarsals of different SANU taxa may be slightly more reliably distinguished by2D landmarks than by linear measurements. However, 2D landmarks are clearlysuperior from the perspective of ease of measurement, replicability, and applicability totaxonomically diverse samples. Although the lack of modern taxa in the sample limitedthe paleobiological inferences that could be drawn, body mass, phylogeny, and possiblylocomotor behavior, clearly influence tarsal morphology.Throughout this dissertation, I have used the description of new taxa andspecimens as the foundation for phylogenetic, paleoenvironmental, biochronological,and ecomorphological analyses. These studies have advanced our knowledge ofmammal evolution in South America, particularly in the early and middle Miocene.

Studies focused on deciduous dentition, ontogenetic series, and tooth eruption and replacement patterns in fossil mammals have lately increased due to the recognized taxonomic and phylogenetic weight of these aspects. A study of the deciduous and permanent dentition of Interatherium and Protypotherium (Interatheriinae) is presented, based mainly on unpublished materials. Deciduous cheek teeth are brachydont and placed covering the apex of the respective permanent tooth; in addition, some morphological and metrical differences are observed along the crown height. Five dental ontogenetic stages are distinguished among the juvenile specimens on the basis of the degree of wear, the replacement of the deciduous premolars, and the eruption of the molars. The crown height and the wear degree of different Interatheriinae taxa show: (1) eruption pattern of molars in an anterior–posterior direction (M/m1 to M/m3); (2) pattern of replacement of deciduous premolars and eruption of permanent premolars in a posterior–anterior direction (dP/dp4 to dP/dp2 and P/p4 to P/p2); and (3) eruption of M/m3 before the replacement of dP/dp4. Results allow evaluating the diagnostic dental characteristics used to describe some interatheriines, as well as reinterpreting some taxonomic assumptions: the holotype of Protypotherium diversidens Ameghino, 1891 is recognized as a juvenile of another species of the genus, and the species is not validated, considering it as Protypotherium sp.; the holotype of Eudiastatus lingulatus Ameghino, 1891 falls in the variability of Protypotherium, becoming P. lingulatus new combination, tentatively maintaining the species and implying the synonymy between Eudiastatus and Protypotherium; and the holotype of Eopachyrucos ranchoverdensis Reguero, Ubilla, and Perea, 2003 is reinterpreted as bearing deciduous premolars.

We describe a new toxodontid species, Nesodon taweretus sp. nov., from the Aisol Formation in Mendoza Province, central-west Argentina. Nesodon is a frequently found Toxodontidae, member of the Notoungulata, an extinct endemic group of Cenozoic South American mammals that are ecologically similar to current hoofed ungulates. The holotype of N. taweretus sp. nov. is a skull, and we tentatively assign some mandibular fragments and postcranial bones. N. taweretus sp. nov. differs from the other Nesodon species in several cranial and dental features, and close comparisons were made with the Patagonian Nesodon imbricatus, common in the Santa Cruz Formation (Santacrucian Age, Early Miocene). The material is of a similar size to N. imbricatus, with a body mass estimation of about 550 kg. The phylogenetic analysis groups N. taweretus sp. nov. with other species of Nesodon. The absolute age of the Aisol Formation has been established at ca 19.480 ± 0.025 Ma (Burdigalian; Early Miocene) by means of U–Pb zircon dating. The vertebrate association is encompassed by the Santacrucian Age. Latitudinal separation between Mendoza and Patagonia in the south would have favored taxonomic differences, as reflected in the species of Nesodon., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo

Interatheriinae is one of the most derived subfamilies of South American notoungulates. Several interatheriines have been described since the 19th century, but most of them have not been revised, o...

Notoungulates were a diverse group of South American ungulates that included the rodent-like typotherians. However, they are typically compared with other ungulates and interpreted as grazers. Here we present the first detailed reconstruction of the masticatory muscles of the pachyrukhine typotherians Paedotherium and Tremacyllus. An outstanding feature is the presence of a true sciuromorph condition, defined by an anterior portion of the deep masseter muscle originating from a wide zygomatic plate that reaches the rostrum, a trait traceable since the Oligocene pachyrukhines. Consequently, pachyrukhines are the first case of sciuromorph non-rodent mammals. This morphology would have allowed them to explore ecological niches unavailable for the exclusively hystricomorph coexisting rodents. This innovative acquisition seems to be synchronous in Pachyrukhinae and sciuromorph rodents and related to hard-food consumption. We postulate the expansion of nut and cone trees during the major environmental changes at Eocene−Oligocene transition as a potential trigger for this convergence., Marcos Ercoli et al. present a reconstruction of masticatory muscles in two species of Pachyrukhinae, showing evidence that these are the first known case of sciuromorph non-rodent mammals. They propose that this innovative acquisition occurred along with hard-food consumption.

Hegetotheriidae is one of the most derived families of South American notoungulates, which are known from the late Oligocene to Pliocene. Several genera of hegetotheriids have been described; most of them have been recently re-examined, but the Miocene taxa Hegetotherium and Pachyrukhos have not been revised for more than a century. Numerous species of both genera were described mainly from the Santa Cruz Formation, Santa Cruz Province, but also from the Colhuehuapian beds in Chubut Province, and the Colloncuran beds in Neuquén and Río Negro provinces, Argentina. Recently, Hegetotherium was recorded in Bolivia and Chile. Sinclair was the first reviewer to postulate some synonymies, in the first decade of the twentieth century. The present contribution provides a re-evaluation of these genera, including the study of previously unpublished materials. We conclude that Hegetotherium mirabile and Pachyrukhos moyani are the only hegetotheres in the Santa Cruz Formation (Santacrucian SALMA) with Hegetotherium novum and Pachyrukhos politus in the Colhuehuapian SALMA. Additionally, H. convexum, H. anceps, H. minum and H. andinum are proposed as synonyms of H. mirabile; H. novum is removed from Prohegetotherium; and Hegetotherium arctum is excluded from Hegetotheriidae. This taxonomic revision led to a new phylogenetic analysis of Hegetotheriidae, based on a previous data matrix, but enlarged and corrected, as some taxonomic issues concerning other genera were revealed. The analysis supports the monophyly of Hegetotheriidae and the subfamily Pachyrukhinae, as well as the monophyly of the genera Hemihegetotherium and Paedotherium, if the proposed removal of Pd. kakai from the latter is admitted. In contrast, Hegetotheriinae and Hegetotherium appear to be paraphyletic. The position of H. novum supports its removal from the genus Prohegetotherium, in which it was recently included. Fil: Seoane, Federico Damián. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Geologicas. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Cerdeño Serrano, Maria Esperanza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina

A new basal notoungulate, Nanolophodon tutuca gen. et sp. nov., is described. This is represented by maxillary and dental fragments and by isolated teeth. The holotype and referred material were found at the “1968 Fissure” of the Itaborai Basin, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. This basin has been regarded as early Eocene in recent contributions. The generalized appearance and brachydonty of the studied specimens, together with the presence of certain typical traits (poorly developed entolophid, well-developed metacone column, etc.) indicate that N. tutuca can be considered among the group of genera traditionally known as henricosborniids, easily distinguishable from Typotheria by the absence of crista 1 and from Toxodontia by the absence of crista intermedia. It is also different from all other henricosborniids by a combination of characters, such as the presence of a long crochet, the development of two small cristae in the ectoloph, and the large paraconid, among others. In the context of a phylogenetic analysis performed, we do not find conclusive evidence about the synonymy between Itaboraitherium atavum and Othnielmarshia pristina. In turn, we question the reference of these forms as henricosborniids, based on the complex occlusal dental pattern observed in both cases. Finally, based on the observations made in the present study, we discuss the identification of the paraconid in notoungulates, which may be associated with some cusps located mesially to the metaconid and identified as pseudoparaconids in past studies.

Geological studies in the northern sector of the Chaco foreland Basin, Bolivia, yielded new fossils coming from late Oligocene-late Miocene of the Petaca Formation. Few fossil mammals were known from the Subandean Region of Bolivia. We report a partially complete mandible of a hegetotheriid Hegetotheriinae (Notoungulata, Typotheria) from Abapo (Rio Grande River). The specimen (YPFB-LIT-PAL-005) is very close in size and dental morphology to the late Oligocene (Deseadan South American Land Mammal Age, SALMA) — Santacrucian (early Miocene) Prohegetotherium schiaffinoi (Kraglievich 1932) from Fray Bentos (Uruguay and Argentina), Salla (Bolivia), Divisadero Largo-Potrerillos and Quebrada Fiera (Argentina). However, mandibular characteristics, as the shape with a marked change in height along its length, increasing towards the back, a prominent masseteric crest, a deep mandibular groove, and a remarkable thickening of the ventral rim of the mandible, indicate differences between this specimen and Prohegetotherium schiaffinoi and the other Hegetotheriinae. The affinity of YPFB-LIT-PAL-005 with P. schiaffinoi suggests a late Oligocene to early Miocene for the upper bearing horizon of the Petaca Formation (in Abapo), an older age than previously assigned to the top of this unit (late Miocene), and confirms the taxon distribution between ∼ 36 ° to ∼ 17 ° south latitude., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas

We revise the mammal fossils from the Fray Bentos Formation previously assigned to Notoungulata, as well as some new remains recovered from levels cropping out in Corrientes Province (Argentina). In some cases, previous determinations have been completed to the species level, but others have been substantially modified, identifying different families. At present, identified taxa are: “Prohegetotherium” schiaffinoi (Hegetotheriidae), an undetermined interatheriid that is hypothesized as representing the upper teeth of Eopachyrucos ranchoverdensis, and Argyrohyrax proavus (Interatheriidae), cf. Archaeohyrax suniensis (Archaeohyracidae), cf. Mendozahippus fierensis (“Notohippidae”), a Leontiniidae indet., and some undetermined Notoungulata. The presence of Leontiniidae is based on the specimen CTES-PZ 7871, but those previously assigned to this family are herein discarded as such and reinterpreted (notohippid and undetermined taxon). The Mesotheriidae are discarded among the revised materials, but they are present in the Fray Bentos Formation in Corrientes Province with Trachytherus spegazzinianus (= Ameghinotherium curuzucuatiense). The revised sample presents affinities with the fauna from the type locality of the Fray Bentos Formation, in Uruguay, and the Deseadan assemblages from Quebrada Fiera (Mendoza Province, Argentina), Patagonia (Argentina), and Salla (Bolivia). These similarities are important from a paleobiogeographic point of view, especially by the recognition of cf. M. fierensis, a species only known from Mendoza up to now. Only the finding of new material from Fray Bentos Formation in Corrientes Province will allow us to corroborate these tentative determinations and a possible eastward extension of up-to-now exclusive taxa from Quebrada Fiera.

Interatheriinae (Notoungulata, Interatheriidae) includes small, rodent-like, and cursorial mammal herbivores. They are known from the early Oligocene and became abundant during the early to middle Miocene in several South American localities. Throughout the late Miocene, interatheriines were only reported by a few remains from Argentinean outcrops. Here, we present a new finding from the Chiquimil Formation, Catamarca Province (Argentina). The specimen is assigned to Protypotherium cf. P. antiquum based on the large size, high teeth imbrication, and absence of a sulcus in the lingual surface of the trigonid and talonid of p4, in comparison to late representatives of Interatheriinae. The chronostratigraphic context allows us to consider last intheratheriine records as a Last Appearance Datum (LAD), important to establish biostratigraphic and/or chronostratigraphic units in the late Miocene. The scarce interatheriine records and paleoenvironmental approaches during this lapse suggest that the C3/C4 biomass change and the radiation of the Hegetotheriidae lineage probably affected the already reduced population of interatheriines and led to their final disappearance. Fil: Armella, Matías Alberto. Instituto de Estratigrafia y Geologia Sedimentaria Glob; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina Fil: Bonini, R.A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano; Argentina

Notoungulates represent the most taxonomically diverse and temporally and geographically widespread group among South American native ungulates. Here, we analyze anatomical and systematic aspects of proximal tarsal bones recovered from the Lower and Upper Lumbrera formations (middle and late middle Eocene) in northwestern Argentina. We provide detailed descriptions, comparisons, and infer foot stances and range of movements for the taxa implicated. Material studied includes astragali belonging to the oldfieldthomasiid Colbertia lumbrerense (Lower Lumbrera Formation), a set of proximal tarsals referred as Typotheria indet. (Lower Lumbrera Formation), and tarsals (also including navicular and cuboid) of the informal taxon “Campanorco inauguralis” (Upper Lumbrera Formation). The comparison of the tarsals of Colbertia lumbrerense (middle Eocene of Argentina) with Colbertia magellanica (early Eocene of Brazil) reveals several differences including variations on the development and arrangement of articular facets, and the size of the dorsal astragalar foramen in the Argentinean species. The specimen of Typotheria indet. shows morphological affinities with basal interatheriid taxa. However, its larger size contrasting with the overall small body sizes of Eocene interatheriids precludes an indisputable taxonomic assignment. Concerning “Campanorco inauguralis”, our observations indicate that there is no morphological evidence for a close phylogenetic relationship with Mesotheriidae. It presents a “reversed alternating tarsus” condition, which is also observed in Leontiniidae, “Notohippidae”, Toxodontidae, and some typotherians. However, the spectrum of singularities exhibited by this form precludes the assessment of its relationships in the context of the Paleogene radiation of Typotheria and it is necessary to extend the comparison to Eocene notoungulates. Finally, in a morphofunctional context a plantigrade foot posture is inferred for the specimens here reported. These observations have the potential to provide functional proxies for paleoecological reconstructions to be applied to the study of the early radiation of these notoungulate faunas. Fil: Armella, Matías Alberto. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentina Fil: Garcia Lopez, Daniel Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina Fil: Babot, María Judith. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentina Fil: Deraco, Maria Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina Fil: Herrera, Claudia Marcela Reina. Fundación Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentina Fil: Saade, Luis Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina Fil: Bertelli, Sara Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina

This contribution details new records of Notoungulata and Astrapotheria from the exposures of the Santa Cruz Formation in the Río Santa Cruz (Early-Middle Miocene; Province of Santa Cruz). The astrapothere Astrapotherium sp. Burmeister, the notoungulate toxodonts Homalodotherium sp. Flower, Nesodon sp. Owen and Adinotherium sp. Ameghino, and the typotheres Hegetotherium mirabile Ameghino, Interatherium sp. Ameghino, Protypotherium sp. Ameghino, P. attenuatum Ameghino, P. australe Ameghino and P. praerutilum Ameghino are recognized in the localities Barrancas Blancas and Segundas Barrancas Blancas. Nesodon imbricatus Owen was recorded in the former and Adinotherium ovinum (Owen) in the latter locality. The typothere Pachyrukhos moyani Ameghino was identified only in Segundas Barrancas Blancas, but with numerous specimens. Only the large ungulates Astrapotherium magnum (Owen) and Adinotherium sp. were recorded in Yaten Huageno. At a generic level, Barrancas Blancas and Segundas Barrancas Blancas only differ by the presence of Pachyrukhos Ameghino in the latter; at Yaten Huageno the Typotheria, Homalodotheriidae and Nesodon have not been recorded. The general faunal composition, including the larger samples from Barrancas Blancas and Segundas Barrancas Blancas, matches the record from the better-known Santacrucian localities from the Atlantic coast. This faunal similarity implies that similar environmental conditions prevailed in the two areas, indicating that the localities from Río Santa Cruz, as the Atlantic coastal localities, would have constituted a complex mosaic of open and closed habitats. Esta contribución involucra un reporte faunístico de los nuevos registros de Notoungulata y Astrapotheria provenientes de los yacimientos de la Formación Santa Cruz del Río Santa Cruz (Mioceno Temprano–Medio; provincia de Santa Cruz). El astrapoterio Astrapotherium sp., los notoungulados toxodontes Homalodotherium sp. Flower, Nesodon sp. Owen y Adinotherium sp. Ameghino, y los tipoterios Hegetotherium mirabile Ameghino, Interatherium sp. Ameghino, Protypotherium sp. Ameghino, P. attenuatum Ameghino, P. australe Ameghino y P. praerutilum Ameghino fueron reconocidos en Barrancas Blancas y Segunda Barrancas Blancas. Las especies Nesodon imbricatus Owen y Adinotherium ovinum (Owen) fueron identificados en la primera y en la segunda localidad, respectivamente. El tipoterio Pachyrukhos moyani Ameghino fue identificado únicamente en Segundas Barrancas Blancas, pero a través de numerosos ejemplares. Solo los ungulados de gran talla Astrapotherium magnum (Owen) y Adinotherium sp. fueron reconocidos en Yaten Huageno. A un nivel supraespecífico, Barrancas Blancas y Segundas Barrancas Blancas difieren por la presencia de Pachyrukhos Ameghino en la segunda, mientras que en Yaten Huageno los Typotheria, Homalodotheriidae y Nesodon no han sido identificados. La composición faunística general, incluyendo las grandes muestras provenientes de Barrancas Blancas y Segundas Barrancas Blancas, coincide con la registrada en las localidades Santacrucenses más conocidas de la costa Atlántica. Esta similitud faunística permite inferir, preliminarmente, similares condiciones ambientales, indicando que las localidades del Río Santa Cruz podrían haber constituido un complejo mosaico de ambientes abiertos y cerrados. Fil: Fernández, Mercedes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Luján. Departamento de Ciencias Básicas; Argentina Fil: Muñoz, Nahuel Antu. Universidad Nacional de Luján. Departamento de Ciencias Básicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina

Old and new specimens from the early Miocene middle member of the Mariño Formation (Mendoza, Argentina) allow for a reinterpretation of a controversial Mesotheriidae taxon. Earlier known remains come from the Divisadero Largo locality and were, depending on the specimen, either previously described as Trachytherus? mendocensis or referred to a coeval taxon from Chile, Altitypotherium chucalensis. Based on new specimens, here described in detail for the first time, we propose that all mesotheriid material from Divisadero Largo, as well as new material from the Potrerillos locality belong to a new mesotheriid taxon. Recognition of the same taxon from these two localities establishes a sound biostratigraphic correlation. The combination of morphological characters leads to the proposal of a new generic name, Rusconitherium, for Trachytherus? mendocensis, establishing Rusconitherium mendocense New genus and New Combination. This nomenclatural act is due to the fact that T.? mendocensis, formerly thought as a Trachytheriinae from the Paleogene Divisadero Largo Formation, actually comes from the Mariño Formation and belongs to the same taxon as the new material. The missing holotype of T.? mendocensis prompts us to propose a neotype and a new diagnosis for this species, which better characterize the Santacrucian mesotheriids from Mendoza. A phylogenetic analysis does not support a close relationship between this species and Altitypotherium (or any other mesotheriine genus) counter to a previous hypothesis. An unnamed new taxon from the Chinches Formation (San Juan Province) could belong to Rusconitherium, but its full description is pending, as well as a thorough revision of most Mesotheriinae members. Sediments at Potrerillos reveal two paleoenvironmental scenarios: dune fields, influenced by volcanic events, and capillary water that provided humid conditions encouraging vegetation and fauna. Fil: Cerdeño Serrano, Maria Esperanza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Vera, Bárbara Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Combina, Ana María. Universidad Nacional de La Rioja; Argentina

Here we describe three new notohippid notoungulate species from the early Oligocene-aged Tinguiririca Fauna (Tinguirirican SALMA), recovered from volcaniclastic deposits of the Abanico Formation in the central Chilean Andes, two of which are known from material sufficiently complete to warrant formal naming. These include Eomorphippus bondi, sp. nov., a form of moderate size distinguished by hypsodont incisors and cheekteeth, as well as distinctive proportions of the upper incisors. A closely similar but more diminutive form is described as Eomorphippus neilopdykei, sp. nov. A third previously unrecognized notohippid in the Tinguiririca Fauna, best represented by a large, low-crowned, lower incisor battery, almost certainly represents a new taxon, but remains too fragmentary to warrant naming now. We also propose a new binomial for a previously named notohippid, ?Eomorphippus pascuali, originally described from Gran Barranca in Argentina but which is now also recorded in Chile. This taxon, here named Rosendo pascuali, is markedly less hypsodont than E. bondi and E. neilopdykei and retains lingual cingula on at least p4-m1. As least one leontiniid notoungulate occurs in the Tinguiririca Fauna, Termastherium flacoensis, gen. et sp. nov., best represented by two partial upper cheek toothrows and a tentatively referred maxillary fragment bearing three deciduous teeth. Collectively, description of these new fossils from Termas del Flaco, Chile helps to more fully characterize the Tinguiririca Fauna, facilitating correlation and comparison to other South American land mammal faunas spanning the Eocene-Oligocene transition.

The Neogene outcrops in Northwestern Argentina have provided many fossil mammals, particularly notoungulates. However, the fossil record of the early stages of the late Miocene is scarce. The present study describes two mesotheriine specimens from Las Arcas Formation (underlying the Chiquimil Formation dated at 9.14 ± 0.09 Ma; Catamarca Province) and Saladillo Formation (dated at 10 ± 0.3 Ma; Tucumán Province), represented by a left maxillary fragment with complete M1–3 and a right isolated M3, respectively. The main feature of these pieces is their small size, significantly smaller than that of the Miocene genera Eutypotherium, Typotheriopsis, and Pseudotypotherium, recorded in Argentina. In contrast, these mesotheriines are closer to specimens known from Bolivia. The comparative analysis allows us to refer the material herein described to Plesiotypotherium aff. P. achirense and Mesotheriinae indet., with all cautions inherent to the incompleteness of the material. In turn, the paleobiogeographic implication of these new records is approached. A relationship concerning phylogenetic aspects, size, temporal range, and distribution pattern is proposed, taking into account the small size of the studied material in a temporal context of medium to large-sized mesotheriines. Fil: Armella, Matías Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina Fil: Nasif, Norma. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina Fil: Cerdeño Serrano, Maria Esperanza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla; Argentina