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标题：Taxonomic, biogeographic, and taphonomic reassessment of a large extinct species of paca from the Quaternary of Brazil
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作者：ELVER LUIZ MAYER ; ELVER LUIZ MAYER ; ALEX HUBBE 等
期刊名称：Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
印刷版ISSN：0567-7920
电子版ISSN：1732-2421
出版年度：2016
卷号：61
期号：4
页码：743-758
DOI：10.4202/app.00236.2015
语种：English
出版社：Institute of Paleobiology PAS
摘要：The taxonomy of extinct species of Cuniculus (Caviomorpha, Rodentia, Mammalia) is confusing and poorly studied. Here we provide a taxonomic review of extinct cuniculids, and discuss the taxonomic, biogeographic, taphonomic and chronologic aspects of new remains of an extinct large cuniculid from Brazilian Quaternary Gruta Cuvieri cave deposits. Our taxonomic review suggests that Cuniculus rugiceps (Lund, 1837) is the valid taxon to include all available occurrences of extinct cuniculids. The most evident features of this taxon are its larger size and the stronger and more densely distributed rugosities on the skull external surface when compared to the extant species. At present, the distribution of C. rugiceps is restricted to the tropical region of Brazil. Regarding the new remains, taphonomic analysis of the specimens from Cuvieri Cave suggests our sample is represented by at least seven individuals that accumulated within the cave deposit by pitfall entrapment. The biostratinomy of the specimens was characterized by prolonged surface exposure inside the pit with fragmentation and displacement caused mostly by falling and subsequent trampling by individuals of the same and/or other species. The stratigraphically controlled excavations and chronological data allowed the establishment of a Late Pleistocene minimum age for these specimens.
关键词：Mammalia;Rodentia;Caviomorpha;Cuniculidae;cave environments;karst;Pleistocene;Lagoa Santa