Middle Miocene Uruguaytheriinae (Mammalia, Astrapotheria) from Peruvian Amazonia and a review of the astrapotheriid fossil record in northern South America

Abstract

ABSTRACT Five mandibular and dental specimens referred to the extinct South American ungulate clade Astrapotheria are described. They originate from late middle Miocene deposits of the Ipururo Formation in the Rio Inuya-Rio Mapuya area, Peruvian Amazonia. The first Peruvian astrapothere remains unearthed in a controlled stratigraphical context reveal the co-occurrence of the uruguaytheriine astrapotheriids Xenastrapotherium sp. and Granastrapotherium cf. snorki. Bispecific uruguaytheriine assemblages were so far restricted to the early Miocene of Venezuela and the late middle Miocene of Colombia. The Fitzcarrald local fauna, including the uruguaytheriines described here, recalls unequivocally the Xenastrapotherium kraglievichi Cabrera, 1929-Granastrapotherium snorki assemblage, which characterizes the 13.6–12.76 Ma interval in the Honda Group of La Venta area, Colombia. The spatio-temporal distribution of low-latitude astrapotheriids (< 30°S) is then reviewed, illustrated, and further detailed in both str...