A new fossil peccary from the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary of the eastern Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Stinnesbeck, Sarah R.; Frey, Eberhard; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang; Olguín, Jerónimo Avilés; Zell, Patrick; Mata, Alejandro Terrazas; Sanvicente, Martha Benavente; González, Arturo Hernández; Sandoval, Carmen Rojas; Núñez, Eugenio Acevez

doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2016.11.003

Cited by 18 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…New discoveries from submerged caves in the Yucatán are changing this, bringing to light an underworld of exquisitely preserved fossils from the late Pleistocene, when sea level and the water table were significantly lower during glaciations. Publications on these underwater discoveries have focused on early human skeletons [16,17], new mammalian genera (two ground sloths and a peccary) [18][19][20] and a new species interpreted to be a jaguar-like cat [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Yucatán carnivorans shed light on the Great American Biotic Interchange

Schubert

Chatters²,

Arroyo-Cabrales³

et al. 2019

Biol. Lett.

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The Great American Biotic Interchange is considered to be a punctuated process, primarily occurring during four major pulses that began approximately 2.5 Ma. Central America and southeastern Mexico have a poor fossil record of this dynamic faunal history due to tropical climates. Exploration of submerged caves in the Yucatán, particularly the natural trap Hoyo Negro, is exposing a rich and remarkably well-preserved late Pleistocene fauna. Radiometric dates on megafauna range from approximately 38 400–12 850 cal BP, and extinct species include the ursid Arctotherium wingei and canid Protocyon troglodytes . Both genera were previously thought to be indigenous to and confined to South America and appear to represent an instance of large placental mammals, descended from North American progenitors, migrating back north across the Panama Isthmus. This discovery expands the distribution of these carnivorans greater than 2000 km outside South America. Their presence along with a diverse sloth assemblage suggests a more complex history of these organisms in Middle America. We suggest that landscape and ecological changes caused by latest Pleistocene glaciation supported an interchange pulse that included A. wingei , P. troglodytes and Homo sapiens .

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Yucatán carnivorans shed light on the Great American Biotic Interchange

Schubert

Chatters²,

Arroyo-Cabrales³

et al. 2019

Biol. Lett.

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“…During the past decade, seven human skeletal remains dating back to the latest Pleistocene and earliest Holocene, 13–8 ka bp, were discovered during diving activities in the submerged cave system and sinkholes (cenotes) on the north‐eastern Yucatán Peninsula (YP; González González et al ., , ; Chatters et al ., ; Stinnesbeck et al ., ). In addition, fossil bones and complete and articulated skeletons of coeval mammals were reported (González González et al ., ; Chatters et al ., ; McDonald et al ., ; Stinnesbeck et al ., , ). These discoveries have been made in Quintana Roo, Mexico, in a 20‐km‐long and up to 11‐km‐wide coastal band between Tulum in the south and Playa del Carmen in the north (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Chan Hol cave near Tulum (Quintana Roo, Mexico): evidence for long‐lasting human presence during the early to middle Holocene

Hering

Stinnesbeck

Folmeister

et al. 2018

J Quaternary Science

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Numerous charcoal accumulations discovered in the submerged Chan Hol cave near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico, have been 14C‐dated revealing ages between 8110 ± 28 14C a BP (9122–8999 cal a BP) and 7177 ± 27 14C a BP (8027–7951 cal a BP). These charcoal concentrations, interpreted here as ancient illumination sites, provide strong evidence that the Chan Hol cave was dry and accessible during that time interval. Humans used the cave for at least 1200 years during the early and middle Holocene, before access was successively interrupted by global sea level rise and flooding of the cave system. Our data thus narrow the gap between an early settlement in the Tulum area reaching from the late Pleistocene (∼13 000 a) to middle Holocene (e.g. 7177 14C a BP), and the Maya Formative period at approximately 3000 a bp. Yet, no evidence has been presented to date for human settlement during the ∼4000‐year interval between 7000 and 3000 a. This is remarkable as settlement in other areas of south‐eastern Mexico (e.g. Chiapas, Tabasco) and in Guatemala was apparently continuous.

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“…The holotype of Muknalia minima was assessed by BWS and JCC on November 28, 2018 at the Instituto de la Prehistoria de América lab located in Xplor Park, Playa del Carmen, Q.R., Mexico. This specimen (collection number PQR2011-PALMAS-V-1) had been altered since the original photographs in Stinnesbeck et al (2017c), and was missing the p3 (which was used for attempting a radiocarbon date). A 10X magnification hand lens was used to examine the surface morphology of the dentary.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Exploration of submerged caves by technical divers in the Yucatán of Mexico has resulted in a number of fossil discoveries and recent publications. This includes early humans (Homo sapiens) in the Americas (e.g., Chatters et al, 2014;González González et al, 2013;Stinnesbeck et al, 2017a), and extinct fauna: 1) new types of giant ground sloths, Nohochichak xibalbahkah (McDonald et al, 2017), Xibalbaonyx oviceps (Stinnesbeck et al, 2017b), and Xibalbaonyx exinferis (Stinnesbeck et al 2020), 2) a new peccary, Muknalia minima (Stinnesbeck et al, 2017c), 3) a new jaguar, Panthera balamoides (Stinnesbeck et al, 2018a; but questioned as a possible ursid by Schubert et al, 2019 andRuiz-Ramoni et al, 2020), and 4) short-faced bears (Arctotherium wingei) and canids (Protocyon troglodytes) that were previously only known from the South American fossil record (Schubert et al, 2016;Schubert et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introduction Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our team's Yucatán research has focused primarily on Hoyo Negro, a natural pit inside the submerged Sac Actun cave system, Quintana Roo, Mexico (Chatters et al, 2014;McDonald et al, 2017;Schubert et al, 2019). As Hoyo Negro contains fossil peccary skeletons, we were curious whether or not this pit may also record the recently described new genus and species (Muknalia minima) reported to occur in the same region (Stinnesbeck et al, 2017c). Muknalia minima was described as a new taxon based on unique morphological features of the dentary and its overall small size.…”

Section: Introduction Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

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<i>Muknalia minima</i> from the Yucatán of Mexico is synonymous with the collared peccary, Pecari tajacu (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae)

Schubert¹,

Samuels²,

Chatters³

et al. 2020

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Ongoing investigation of peccary remains from fossiliferous deposits in the Yucatán resulted in re-examination of previously identified tayassuid fossils from the region. This included the recently described new genus and species of peccary, Muknalia minima, which is based on a dentary from Muknal Cave near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Diagnostic characters of this taxon include a concave notch along the caudal edge of the ascending ramus and a ventrally directed angular process. Our assessment of the holotype indicates that these characteristics are not a reflection of the original morphology, but are instead the result of breakage and polishing of the posterior aspect of the dentary. Measurements and intact morphological features indicate the Muknal Cave specimen belongs to the extant collared peccary, Pecari tajacu.

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A new fossil peccary from the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary of the eastern Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Cited by 18 publications

References 23 publications

Yucatán carnivorans shed light on the Great American Biotic Interchange

Yucatán carnivorans shed light on the Great American Biotic Interchange

The Chan Hol cave near Tulum (Quintana Roo, Mexico): evidence for long‐lasting human presence during the early to middle Holocene

<i>Muknalia minima</i> from the Yucatán of Mexico is synonymous with the collared peccary, Pecari tajacu (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae)

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