Book contents
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia
- Frontispiece
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- 1 Background for a paleoecological study of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) on the Atlantic Coast of Patagonia
- 2 Tephrochronology of the Miocene Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations, Argentina
- 3 Absolute and relative ages of fossil localities in the Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations
- 4 Sedimentology and paleoenvironment of the Santa Cruz Formation
- 5 Oysters from the base of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) of Patagonia
- 6 Ichnology of distal overbank deposits of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene): paleohydrologic and paleoclimatic significance
- 7 Fossil plant studies from late Early Miocene of the Santa Cruz Formation: paleoecology and paleoclimatology at the passive margin of Patagonia, Argentina
- 8 Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene), Santa Cruz Province, Argentina: paleoenvironmental and paleobiological considerations
- 9 Diversity and paleobiology of the Santacrucian birds
- 10 Paleoecology of the Paucituberculata and Microbiotheria (Mammalia, Marsupialia) from the late Early Miocene of Patagonia
- 11 Paleoecology of the mammalian carnivores (Metatheria, Sparassodonta) of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene)
- 12 Paleobiology of Santacrucian glyptodonts and armadillos (Xenarthra, Cingulata)
- 13 Paleobiology of the Santacrucian sloths and anteaters (Xenarthra, Pilosa)
- 14 Paleobiology of Santacrucian native ungulates (Meridiungulata: Astrapotheria, Litopterna and Notoungulata)
- 15 Paleobiology of Santacrucian caviomorph rodents: a morphofunctional approach
- 16 Paleobiology of Santacrucian primates
- 17 A review of the paleoenvironment and paleoecology of the Miocene Santa Cruz Formation
- Index
11 - Paleoecology of the mammalian carnivores (Metatheria, Sparassodonta) of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2013
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia
- Frontispiece
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- 1 Background for a paleoecological study of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) on the Atlantic Coast of Patagonia
- 2 Tephrochronology of the Miocene Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations, Argentina
- 3 Absolute and relative ages of fossil localities in the Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations
- 4 Sedimentology and paleoenvironment of the Santa Cruz Formation
- 5 Oysters from the base of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) of Patagonia
- 6 Ichnology of distal overbank deposits of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene): paleohydrologic and paleoclimatic significance
- 7 Fossil plant studies from late Early Miocene of the Santa Cruz Formation: paleoecology and paleoclimatology at the passive margin of Patagonia, Argentina
- 8 Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene), Santa Cruz Province, Argentina: paleoenvironmental and paleobiological considerations
- 9 Diversity and paleobiology of the Santacrucian birds
- 10 Paleoecology of the Paucituberculata and Microbiotheria (Mammalia, Marsupialia) from the late Early Miocene of Patagonia
- 11 Paleoecology of the mammalian carnivores (Metatheria, Sparassodonta) of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene)
- 12 Paleobiology of Santacrucian glyptodonts and armadillos (Xenarthra, Cingulata)
- 13 Paleobiology of the Santacrucian sloths and anteaters (Xenarthra, Pilosa)
- 14 Paleobiology of Santacrucian native ungulates (Meridiungulata: Astrapotheria, Litopterna and Notoungulata)
- 15 Paleobiology of Santacrucian caviomorph rodents: a morphofunctional approach
- 16 Paleobiology of Santacrucian primates
- 17 A review of the paleoenvironment and paleoecology of the Miocene Santa Cruz Formation
- Index
Summary
South America had an endemic mammalian fauna for much of the Cenozoic, largely evolved during its long isolation. The predator guild was mainly occupied by metatherians (Sparassodonta), as well as large terrestrial birds (Phorusrhacidae), agile terrestrial crocodiles (Sebecidae), and giant snakes (Madtsoiidae). Sparassodonta was a diverse clade, recorded from the Paleocene to the Middle Pliocene, with its acme in the late Early Miocene (Santacrucian Age). In this chapter, we review the paleoecology of the sparassodonts known from the Santa Cruz Formation and include new results obtained by geometric morphometric analyses. The Santa Cruz Formation contains 11 sparassodont species: six Hathliacynidae (Acyon tricuspidatus, Cladosictis patagonica, Sipalocyon gracilis, Sipalocyon obusta, Pseudonotictis pusillus, Perathereutes pungens) and five Borhyaenoidea (Prothylacynus patagonicus, Lycopsis torresi, and three Borhyaenidae, Borhyaena tuberata, Acrocyon sectorius, and Arctodictis munizi). These sparassodonts were mainly hypercarnivores exhibiting different locomotor abilities (from scansorial to terrestrial), and a wide range of body masses (from 1 kg to more than 50 kg). The reconstruction of the Santacrucian predator guild suggests that there was good ecological separation within the sparassodonts, determined by particular combinations of body size, locomotion, and diet. The diversity of sparassodonts recorded in the Santa Cruz Formation (11 species) and in the Estancia La Costa Member (seven species), is similar to that observed in present and past placental hypercarnivore communities.
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- Information
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in PatagoniaHigh-Latitude Paleocommunities of the Santa Cruz Formation, pp. 173 - 193Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2012
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