Nearctic Pleistocene ungulates from the Pampean region (Argentina) in the historical collections of Santiago Roth in Switzerland: an overview

Abstract

Nearctic ungulates such as artiodactyls, perissodactyls, and proboscideans arrived in South America during the Great American Biotic Interchange. Among them are camelids, cervids, tayassuids, equids, tapirids and gomphotherids. A historical collection of Nearctic ungulates from Pleistocene deposits of the Pampean region in Argentina is here studied and described. The collection consists of specimens collected by Santiago Roth in the nineteenth century and brought to Europe, where they are housed in the paleontological collections of the University of Zurich and the Natural History Museum of Geneva. Among the taxa reported here are Notiomastodon platensis,Lama guanicoe, Hemiauchenia paradoxa, Tayassu pecari, Morenelaphus sp., Hippidion cf. H. principale, Equus cf. E. neogeus, and other indeterminate gomphotherids, camelids, tayassuids, cervids, and equids. The exact stratigraphic position of these fossils collected more than 130 years ago is in many cases uncertain. The historical collection is still relevant for taxonomic studies and for offering new insights into palaeobiogeography and palaeobiology of mammalian fauna of the region during the Pleistocene.

Pleistocene South American native ungulates (Notoungulata and Litopterna) of the historical Roth collections in Switzerland, from the Pampean Region of Argentina

“…T. platensis and Mesotherium cristatum ) and one litoptern ( Macrauchenia patachonica ), restricted to the “Lower” and “Intermediate” Pampean (Ensenadan to Bonaerian Stages/Ages). Although the SANUs diversity in the Roth collection is low in comparison with other groups, such as xenarthrans (Le Verger, 2023 ), Neartic ungulates (Carrillo-Briceño et al, 2023 ), and rodents (Kerber, 2023 ), some of the specimens are very complete, including skulls and postcranial remains. The completeness and quality of the fossil material allow us to examine and discuss previously unnoticed anatomical aspects, including new interpretations on patterns of dental wear and on the identity of the cusps present on the upper molars in Ma.…”

“…Roth sold part of his collection to institutions in Denmark and Switzerland (Hansen, 2019 ), and today, the specimens are housed in the Zoological Museum of the University of Copenhagen (Hansen, 2019 ), the Natural History Museum of Geneva, the Cantonal Museum of Geology of the University of Lausanne, and the Palaeontological Institute and Museum of the University of Zurich (Voglino et al, 2023 ). The important collections of Santiago Roth in Switzerland include iconic Pleistocene megafauna from the Pampean Region, represented by a rich collection of giant glyptodonts and ground sloths, gomphotheres, and native ungulates (Carrillo-Briceño et al, 2023 ; Christen et al, 2023 ; Le Verger, 2023 ; Püschel & Martinelli, 2023 ; Roth, 1889 ).…”

Pampean megamammals in Europe: the fossil collections from Santiago Roth

“…The extensive work of Roth in the Pampean region covered at least 25 localities in the Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, and Entre Ríos provinces (Voglino, 2020 ; Fig. 1 ; see also Carrillo & Püschel, 2023 ; Carrillo-Briceño et al, 2023 ; Le Verger, 2023 ; Ruiz-Ramoni et al, 2023 ). From these, the most profusely studied were sites in the neighborhood, where he lived (Baradero, Pergamino, and San Nicolás de los Arroyos—San Nicolás for brevity in the rest of the text) in the north east area of Buenos Aires Province (Torres, 1927 ).…”

“…(Mylodontidae), PIMUZ A/V 503 (Le Verger, 2023 ); ( 6 ) Morenelaphus sp. (Cervidae), PIMUZ A/V 4162 (Carrillo-Briceño et al, 2023 ); ( 7 ) Hippidion sp. (Equidae), PIMUZ A/V 4240 (Carrillo-Briceño et al, 2023 ).…”

“…(Cervidae), PIMUZ A/V 4162 (Carrillo-Briceño et al, 2023 ); ( 7 ) Hippidion sp. (Equidae), PIMUZ A/V 4240 (Carrillo-Briceño et al, 2023 ). Reconstruction by Jorge L. Blanco

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