Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland
Abstract The present work concerns xenarthrans from the collection of Santiago (Kaspar Jakob) Roth (1850–1924) housed at the Palaeontological Institute and Museum of the University of Zurich, one of the most important collections of Pleistocene mammals from Argentina in Europe. Roth was a paleontolo...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00265-7 |
| _version_ | 1797451610193920000 |
|---|---|
| author | Kévin Le Verger |
| author_facet | Kévin Le Verger |
| author_sort | Kévin Le Verger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The present work concerns xenarthrans from the collection of Santiago (Kaspar Jakob) Roth (1850–1924) housed at the Palaeontological Institute and Museum of the University of Zurich, one of the most important collections of Pleistocene mammals from Argentina in Europe. Roth was a paleontologist originally from Switzerland who prospected and collected a large amount of Pleistocene megafauna of the Pampean Region of Argentina. The xenarthrans are the main representatives of this collection in Zurich, with 150 specimens. Since 1920, this material has not been revised and is under studied. The present investigation corresponds to a taxonomic revision resulting in 114 reassignments, leading to document xenarthran diversity and discuss their paleoecologies. The high diversity reflects the paleoecology of the Pampean Region during the Pleistocene, with the various abiotic events that impacted the paleoenvironment of this region. Within the Cingulata, the Pampean Region fauna was probably dominated by glyptodonts with a high representation of Glyptodontinae and Neosclerocalyptinae while within the sloths the highest diversity and abundance is found in the Mylodontinae and Scelidotheriinae. These four clades represent both species with high ecological tolerance (e.g., Glyptodon munizi; Catonyx tarijensis) and ecologically highly specialized species (e.g., Neosclerocalyptus paskoensis; Scelidotherium leptocephalum). The presence of such ecological diversity underlines the status of the Pampean Region as a major interest for paleoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:57:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6d930157eb63447aa15f127d8ac21dfe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-2376 1664-2384 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:57:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |
| spelling | doaj.art-6d930157eb63447aa15f127d8ac21dfe2023-11-26T14:07:28ZengSpringerOpenSwiss Journal of Palaeontology1664-23761664-23842023-03-01142113910.1186/s13358-023-00265-7Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, SwitzerlandKévin Le Verger0Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of ZurichAbstract The present work concerns xenarthrans from the collection of Santiago (Kaspar Jakob) Roth (1850–1924) housed at the Palaeontological Institute and Museum of the University of Zurich, one of the most important collections of Pleistocene mammals from Argentina in Europe. Roth was a paleontologist originally from Switzerland who prospected and collected a large amount of Pleistocene megafauna of the Pampean Region of Argentina. The xenarthrans are the main representatives of this collection in Zurich, with 150 specimens. Since 1920, this material has not been revised and is under studied. The present investigation corresponds to a taxonomic revision resulting in 114 reassignments, leading to document xenarthran diversity and discuss their paleoecologies. The high diversity reflects the paleoecology of the Pampean Region during the Pleistocene, with the various abiotic events that impacted the paleoenvironment of this region. Within the Cingulata, the Pampean Region fauna was probably dominated by glyptodonts with a high representation of Glyptodontinae and Neosclerocalyptinae while within the sloths the highest diversity and abundance is found in the Mylodontinae and Scelidotheriinae. These four clades represent both species with high ecological tolerance (e.g., Glyptodon munizi; Catonyx tarijensis) and ecologically highly specialized species (e.g., Neosclerocalyptus paskoensis; Scelidotherium leptocephalum). The presence of such ecological diversity underlines the status of the Pampean Region as a major interest for paleoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstruction.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00265-7CingulataPilosaTaxonomyDiversityPaleoecology |
| spellingShingle | Kévin Le Verger Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland Swiss Journal of Palaeontology Cingulata Pilosa Taxonomy Diversity Paleoecology |
| title | Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland |
| title_full | Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland |
| title_fullStr | Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland |
| title_short | Xenarthrans of the collection of Santiago Roth from the Pampean Region of Argentina (Pleistocene), in Zurich, Switzerland |
| title_sort | xenarthrans of the collection of santiago roth from the pampean region of argentina pleistocene in zurich switzerland |
| topic | Cingulata Pilosa Taxonomy Diversity Paleoecology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00265-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kevinleverger xenarthransofthecollectionofsantiagorothfromthepampeanregionofargentinapleistoceneinzurichswitzerland |