Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Mammals in Last 30 to 7 ka Interval (Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene) in Southern Uruguay (Santa Lucía River Basin): Last Occurrences, Climate, and Biogeography

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Mammalian Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fossiliferous Quaternary sedimentary beds in the Santa Lucía Basin (southern Uruguay) are potentially useful for the study of the last occurrences of extinct taxa, as well as the environmental and climatic patterns in the late Pleistocene to the early Holocene. They have provided a chronological framework (AMS 14C and Optically Stimulated Luminescence dates), a mammalian diversity and interpretations of last occurrence, the climatic-environmental setting, and some associated biogeographic processes. The ages produced encompass the last 30 to 7 ka interval (latest Pleistocene-early Holocene). The mammalian assemblage (36 genera, 24 species) includes typical South American late Pleistocene mammals, extinct species of extant genera, and some extant species that still exist elsewhere on the continent. The preservation pattern includes articulated and semi-articulated skeletons of large and small mammals. The presence in the southern Uruguayan Pampean area of some mammals currently inhabiting Patagonia, northwest and central Argentina (Dolichotis, Galea, Microcavia, Chaetophractus, Lagostomus, and Vicugna) is explained by the predominance of open areas and cold climates associated with the Last Glacial Maximum. The mammalian record depicts local extinctions or shifting ranges occurring in latest Pleistocene or early Holocene. The sedimentary chronological framework and taphonomic features suggest the persistence into the early Holocene of Eutatus seguini, Morenelaphus brachyceros, Equus neogeus, Hemiauchenia sp., Lama sp., and Vicugna sp. Glyptodon and Glossotherium seem to persist at least to the latest Pleistocene. This pattern can substantiate the hypothesis that some megafauna and large mammals persisted for some millennia alongside people with extinction occurring before, during, and after human colonization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AA:

NSF-Arizona AMS Laboratory, USA

AMS:

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

BETA:

Beta Analytic: radiocarbon dating, Miami AMS lab, USA

LP:

LATYR Laboratorio de Radiocarbono, Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas, La Plata, Argentina

OSL:

Optically Stimulated Luminescence

UIC:

Luminescence Dating Research Laboratory of the University of Illinois, USA

References

  • Barnosky A, Lindsey E (2010) Timing of Quaternary megafaunal exctinction in South America in relation to human arrival and climate change. Quaternary Internatl 217:10–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnosky A, Lindsey E, Villavicencio N, Bostelmann E, Hardly E, Wanket J, Marshall C (2016) Variable impact of late-Quaternary megafaunal extinction in causing ecological state shifts in North and South America. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 113:856–861

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blasi A, Castiñeira C, Del Puerto L, Prieto A, Fucks E, de Francesco C, Hanson P, García, F Huarte R, Carbonari J, Young A (2010) Paleoambientes de la cuenca media del Río Luján (Buenos Aires, Argentina) durante el último período glacial (EIO 4–2). Lat American J Sedimentol Basin Anal 17:85–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Blunier T, Brook E (2001) Timing of millenial-scale climate change in Antarctica and Greenland during the last glacial period. Science 291:109–112

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bostelmann E, Rinderknecht A, Perea D (2008) Novedades en torno al registro fósil de los eutatinos (Mammalia, Xenarthra) del Uruguay: nuevas localidades para Eutatus seguini y primer reporte de Ringueletia simpsoni. Actas IX Jorn Zoología Urug 39

  • Bradley RS (2015) Paleoclimatology–Reconstructing Climates of the Quaternary. Elsevier, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Buiron D, Stenni B, Chappellaz J, Landais A, Baumgartner M, Bonazza M, Capron E, Frezzotti M, Kageyama M, Lemieux-Dudon B, Masson-Delmotte V, Parrenin F, Schilt A, Selmo E, Severi M, Swingedouw D, Udisti R (2012) Regional imprints of millennial variability during the MIS 3 period around Antarctica. Quaternary Sci Rev 48:99–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cajal J, Tonni E.P, Tartarini V (2010) The extinction of some South American camelids: the case of Lama (Vicugna) gracilis. Mastozool Neotropical 17:129–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Cione A, Gasparini G, Soibelzon E, Soibelzon L, Tonni EP (2015) The Great American Biotic Interchange. A South American Perspective. Springer Briefs in Earth System Sciences, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Corona A, Perea D, McDonald G (2013) Catonyx cuvieri (Xenarthra, Mylodontidae, Scelidotheriinae) from the late Pleistocene of Uruguay, with comments regarding the systematic of the subfamily. J Vertebr Paleontol 33:1214–1225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Oliveira K, García J, Daners G, Ubilla M, Goso C, Bistrichi C (2011) Contribuicao palinoflorística para o cenario do Pleistoceno superior-Holoceno inferior na bacia do Rio Santa Lucia, sul de Uruguai. In: De Souza Carvalho I, Kumar N, Strohschoen O, Cunha C (eds) Paleontología: cenários de Vida 3. Interciencia, Rio de Janeiro, pp 175–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Devincenzi G J (1927) Notas paleontológicas–Últimos hallazgos realizados en el país. An Mus Hist Nat Montev 2:331–337

    Google Scholar 

  • EPICA Community Members (2006) One-to-one coupling of glacial climate variability in Greenland and Antarctica. Nature 444:195–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fariña R, Tambusso S, Varela L, Czerwonogora A, Di Giacomo M, Musso M, Bracco R, Gascué A (2013) Arroyo del Vizcaíno, Uruguay: a fossil-rich 30-ka-old megafaunal locality with cut-marked bones. Proc Royal Soc B 281:20132211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faure M, Guerin C, Parenti F (1999) The Holocene megafauna from Toca do Serrote do Artur (Sao Raimundo, Nonato archeological area, Piaui, Brazil. CR Acad Sci Paris, Ser II, Sci de la Terre et des Planetes 329:443–448

    Google Scholar 

  • Francia A, Ciancio M (2013) First record of Chaetophractus villosus (Mammalia, Dasypodidae) in the late Pleistocene of Corrientes Province (Argentina). Rev Mus La Plata 13:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Gasparini G, Rodriguez S, Soibelzon L, Beilinson E, Soibelzon E, Velloso R (2014) Tayassu pecari (Link, 1975) (Mammalia, Cetartiodactyla): comments on its South American fossil record, taxonomy and paleobiogeography. Hist Biol 26:785 –800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogg A, Hua Q, Blackwell P, Niu M, Buck C, Guilderson T, Heaton T, Palmer L, Reimer P, Reimer R, Turney C, Zimmerman, S (2013) SHCAL 13 Southern Hemisphere calibration, 0–50,000 years cal BP. Radiocarbon 55:1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones G (1956) Mapa Geológico de la Región Oriental del Departamento de Canelones. Boletín Inst Geológico Urug 34:1–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Jouzel J, Masson-Delmotte V, Cattani O, Dreyfus G, Falourd S, Hoffmann G, Minster B, Nouet J, Barnola JM, Chappellaz J, Fischer H, Gallet JC, Johnsen S, Leuenberger M, Loulergue L, Luethi D, Oerter H, Parrenin F, Raisbeck G, Raynaud D, Schilt A. Schwander J, Selmo E, Souchez R, Spahni R, Stauffer B, Steffensen JP, Stenni B, Stocker TF, Tison JL, Werner M, Wolff EW (2007) Orbital and millennial Antarctic climate variability over the past 800,000 years. Science 317:793–796

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jouzel J, Vaikmae R, Petit J, Martin M, Duclos Y, Stievenard M, Lorius C, Toots M, Melieres M, Burckle L, Barkov N, Kotlyakov V (1995) The two-step shape and timing of the last deglaciation in Antarctic. Clim Dyn 11:151–161

  • Kraglievich L (1937) Manual de Paleontología rioplatense–Osteología Comparada de los Mamíferos. El Siglo Ilustrado, Montevideo

    Google Scholar 

  • López Romanelli F (2012) El yacimiento “Los Ciervos”: hallazgos paleontológicos y arqueológicos en sedimentos de la transición Pleistoceno-Holoceno (Dpto. de Lavalleja, Uruguay). Orígenes 11:1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowe J, Walker M (2015) Reconstructing Quaternary Environments. Routledge, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez S, Ubilla M (2004) El Cuaternario en Uruguay. In: Veroslavsky G, Ubilla M, Martínez S (eds) Cuencas sedimentarias de Uruguay. Geología, Paleontología y Recursos Naturales. Cenozoico, DIRAC-FC, Montevideo, pp 195–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Matrat B, Jimenez-Amat P, Zahn R, Grimalt JO (2014) Similarities and dissimilarities between the last two deglaciations and interglaciations in the North Atlantic region. Quaternary Sci Rev 99:122–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazzanti D, Quintana C (1997) Asociación Cultural con Fauna extinguida en el sitio arqueológico Cueva Tixi, provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Rev Española Antropol Americana 27:11–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Méndez-Alzola R (1950) Estudio sobre la obra científica de Larrañaga. Su iconografía paleomastozoológica. UDELAR, Montevideo

    Google Scholar 

  • Meneghin H (2011) Observaciones sobre algunos artefactos líticos discoidales registrados en el Uruguay. Orígenes 10:1–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Meneghin H (2016) La tradición Fell en el sur del territorio uruguayo. Seis nuevas dataciones radiocarbónicas. Orígenes 14:1–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Metcalf JF, Turney C, Barnett R, Martin F, Bray SC, Vilstrup JT, Orlando L, Salas-Gismondi R, Loponte D, Medina M, De Nigris M, Civalero T, Fernandez PM, Gasco A, Duran V, Seymour KL, Otaola, C, Gil A, Paunero R, Prevosti FJ, Bradshaw CJA, Wheeler JC, Borrero L, Austin JJ, Cooper A (2016) Synergistic roles of climate warming and human occupation in Patagonian megafaunal extinctions during the last deglaciation. Sci Adv 2:1–8

  • Mones A, Francis J (1973) Lista de los vertebrados fósiles del Uruguay, II. Mammalia. Comun Paleontol Mus Hist Nat Montev 4:39–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray-Wallace C, Woodroofe C (2015) Quaternary Sea-level Changes: A Global Perspective. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Orombelli G, Maggi V Delmonte B (2010) Quaternary stratigraphy and ice cores. Quaternary Internatl 219:55–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patton J, Pardiñas U, D’Elía G (2015) Mammals of South America. Vol. 2. The University of Chicago Press, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Perea D (2011) Fósiles de Uruguay. DIRAC, Montevideo

    Google Scholar 

  • Prado J, Martínez-Maza C, Alberdi MT (2015) Megafauna extinction in South America: a new chronology from the Argentine pampas. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 425:41–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prates L, Politis G, Steele J (2013) Radiocarbon chronology of the early human occupation of Argentina. Quaternary Internatl 310:104–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prevosti F, Martin F (2013) Paleoecology of the mammalian predator guild of southern Patagonia during the latest Pleistocene: ecomorphology, stable isotopes and taphonomy. Quaternary Internatl 305:74–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rego N, Perea D, Toriño P, Sánchez A (2007) Chaetophractus villosus (Desmarest, 1804) (Xenarthra: Dasypodidae) en la Formación Dolores (Pleistoceno Tardío, Uruguay): implicancias paleoambientales. V Congreso Uruguayo de Geología Abstracts Electronic version

  • Soibelzon E, Medina M, Abba A (2013) Late Holocene armadillos (Mammalia, Dasypodidae) of the Sierras of Córdoba, Argentina: zooarchaeology, diagnostic characters and their paleozoological relevance. Quaternary Internatl 299:72–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soibelzon L, Tonni EP, Bond M (2005) The fossil record of South American short-faced bears (Ursidae, Tremarctinae). J South Am Earth Sci 20:105–113

  • Spoturno J, Oyhantcabal P, Goso C, Aubet N, Cazaux S, Huelmo S, Morales E, Loureiro J (2004) Mapa geológico del Departamento de Canelones a escala 1:100.000.CONICYT, Facultad de Ciencias, DINAMIGE, Uruguay

  • Spoturno J, Oyantcabal P, Loureiro J, Arrigueti R (2013) Formación Barrancas: propuesta para una nueva unidad litoestratigráfica del cuaternario continental del Uruguay. Actas VII Congreso Uruguayo de Geología y I Simposio de Minería y Desarrollo del Cono Sur:1 –4

  • Steele J, Politis G (2009) AMS 14C dating and early human occupation of southern South America. J Archaeol Sci 36:419–429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuiver M, Reimer P, Reimer R (2013) CALIB radiocarbon calibration. http://calib.qub.ac.uk/calib/ (accessed 2.2.2015)

  • Suárez R (2015a) The Paleoamerican occupation of the Plains of Uruguay: technology, adaptations, and mobility. PaleoAmerica 1:88–104

  • Suárez R (2015b) Tecnología lítica y conjunto de artefactos utilizados durante el poblamiento temprano de Uruguay. Chúngara 47:67–84

  • Suárez R (2016) The human colonization of the southeast plains of South America: climatic conditions, technological innovations and the peopling of Uruguay and south of Brazil. Quaternary Internatl. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2016.02.018

  • Tonello M, Prieto A (2010) Tendencias climáticas para los pastizales pampeanos durante el Pleistoceno tardío-Holoceno: estimaciones cuantitativas basadas en secuencias polínicas fósiles. Ameghiniana 47:501–514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tonni EP, Cione AL, Figini AJ (1999) Predominance of arid climates indicated by mammals in the pampas of Argentina during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 147:257–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turkey S (2009) Holocene Extinctions. Oxford University Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Ubilla M (1999) Dataciones radiocarbónicas (C14) para la Fm. Dolores (Río Santa Lucía, Dpto. de Canelones y A° Gutiérrez Chico, Dpto. de Río Negro) y comentarios sobre la fauna de vertebrados asociada. Revista Soc Geológica Urug 6:48–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Ubilla M (2008) Postcranial morphology of the extinct caviine rodent Microcavia criolloensis (late Pleistocene, South America). Zool J Linn Soc 154:795–806

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ubilla M, Corona A, Rinderknecht A, Perea D, Verde M (2016) Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) and continental beds of northern Uruguay (Sopas Formation): paleontology, chronology and climate. In: Gasparini G, Rabassa, J, Deschamps C, Tonni EP (eds) Marine Isotope Stage 3 in Southern South America, 60 ka B.P.-30 ka B.P. Springer Earth System Sciences, pp 183–205

  • Ubilla M, Martínez S (2016) Geology and Paleontology of the Quaternary of Uruguay. Springer Briefs in Earth System Sciences, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ubilla M, Perea D (1999) Quaternary vertebrates of Uruguay: biostratigraphic, biogeographic and climatic overview. Quaternary South Am Antarct Pen 12:75–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Ubilla M, Perea D, Rinderknecht A, Corona A (2009) Pleistocene mammals from Uruguay: biostratigraphic, biogeographic and environmental connotations. In: Ribeiro, Girardi and Saldanha (eds) Quaternario de Rio Grande do Sul–Integrando Conhecimentos. Monografías Sociedade Brasileira de Paleontología, Porto Alegre pp 217–230

  • Ubilla M, Rinderknecht A (2014) Comparative analysis of Galea (Rodentia, Caviidae) and expanded diagnosis of Galea ortodonta Ubilla and Rinderknecht, 2001 (late Pleistocene, Uruguay). Geobios 47:255–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ubilla M, Rinderknecht A (2016) Lagostomus maximus (Desmarest) (Rodentia, Chinchillidae), the extant plains vizcacha in the late Pleistocene of Uruguay. Alcheringa 40:354–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verde M, Ubilla M, Roland G (2013) Castrichnus n. isp., earthworm aestivation chambers in early Holocene paleosols from southern Uruguay. Abstracts Second Latin American Symposium on Ichnology: 69

  • Vilardebó TM, Berro BP (1838) El fósil del Pedernal. Informe presentado a la Comisión de Biblioteca y Museo por los miembros de ella D. Bernardo Berro y D. Teodoro Vilardebó, sobre el reciente descubrimiento de un animal fósil en el Partido de Piedra Sola, Departamento de Canelón. El Universal, 2551, 2552, 2553, 2555, Montevideo

  • Violante R, Parker G (1999) Historia evolutiva del Río de la Plata durante el Cenozoico superior. Actas XIV Congreso Geológico Argentino: 504–507|

  • WAIS Divide Project Members (2015) Precise interpolar phasing of abrupt climate change during the last ice age. Nature 520:661–665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weinstock J, Shapiro B, Prieto A, Marín J, Bonzález B, Gilbert MT, Willerslev W (2009) The late Pleistocene distribution of vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) and the “extinction” of the gracile llama (“Lama gracilis”): new molecular data. Quaternary Sci Rev 28:1369–1373

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Andrés Sánchez and Federico López Romanelli for providing useful information based on collections; Alejandra Rojas for useful references; Rafael Suárez and Ugo Meneghin for archaeological and radiocarbon information. Editor-in-Chief John Wible, Diego Brandoni and two anonymous referees helped us to improve the manuscript. Contribution to the project Fondo Clemente Estable −2009-2398 and Comisión Sectorial de Investigación Científica CSIC-211-348.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento Paleontología, ICG, Facultad de Ciencias, Udelar, Iguá 4225, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Martín Ubilla, Andrés Rinderknecht, Andrea Corona & Daniel Perea

  2. Paleontología, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Montevideo, 25 de mayo 582, 11000, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Andrés Rinderknecht

Authors
  1. Martín Ubilla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrés Rinderknecht
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andrea Corona
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Daniel Perea
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martín Ubilla.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(PDF 1595 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ubilla, M., Rinderknecht, A., Corona, A. et al. Mammals in Last 30 to 7 ka Interval (Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene) in Southern Uruguay (Santa Lucía River Basin): Last Occurrences, Climate, and Biogeography. J Mammal Evol 25, 291–300 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-017-9380-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-017-9380-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation