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Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana Volumen 72, núm. 1, 2020, p. 1-17 |
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Description of the Neochoerus specimens from the late Pleistocene (Rancholabrean) of Chiapas, and comments on the taxonomic identity of the fossil capybaras from other Mexican localities
Descripción de especimenes de Neochoerus del Pleistoceno (Rancholabreano) tardío de Chiapas, y comentarios sobre la taxonomía de los capibaras fósiles de otras localidades mexicanas
Gerardo Carbot-Chanona1,*, Joaquín Eng-Ponce2, Luis Enrique Gómez-Pérez1
1 Museo de Paleontología “Eliseo Palacios Aguilera”, Dirección de Paleontología, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente e Historia Natural. Calzada de Los Hombres Ilustres s/n, 29000, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico.
2 Laboratorio de Paleontología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo. Av. Francisco J. Múgica s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 58030, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
* Corresponding author: (Carbot-Chanona)
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Abstract
The capybara Neochoerus aesopi is an extinct giant rodent that inhabited North, Central, and South America during the Rancholabrean/Lujanian (late Pleistocene). In Mexico, only N. aesopi has been reported from Tlapacoya, Mexico State; Chapala lake, Jalisco; and La Cinta-Portalitos, on the border of Michoacán and Guanajuato. Here, we describe N. aesopi remains from the late Pleistocene at Los Mangos locality, Villaflores municipality, Chiapas, Mexico. In addition, the capybara material from Jalisco and Puebla, referred as Hydrochoerus sp. and Neochoerus sp., respectively, is reexamined. The mandibular and dental morphological characteristics and measurements of the specimens examined from Jalisco and Puebla allow this material to be referred as N. aesopi. The definitive identification of this species broadens its spacial range in North America.
Keywords: Capybara, Neochoerus, Hydrochoerus, taxonomy, Pleistocene, Mexico.
