Fossils of Scelidotheriinae Ameghino, 1904 (Xenarthra, Pilosa) in the Pleistocene deposits of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

Xenarthra (Mylodontidae) is a mammal group which fossil record is conspicuous in Southern Brazil, and includes until now the Mylodontinae, Mylo- don, Glossotherium and Lestodon and the Scelidotheriinae Catonyx. Here it is presented new fossils of Scelidotheriines, represented by a fragment of a dentary, plus other four isolated teeth. A detailed description of the only other record of scelidotheriinae in Rio Grande do Sul, consisting in an almost complete right dentary, is also presented. The lacking of additional and more complete fossils complicates a more precise taxonomic insertion. Nevertheless, the specimens exhibit features that allow their recognition as Catonyx. The fossils are tentatively assigned to C. cuvieri, based on the assumption that it is the only valid scelidotheriine recognized so far for southern Brazil.