Cramauchenia Explained

Cramauchenia is an extinct genus of litoptern South American ungulate. Cramauchenia was named by Florentino Ameghino.[1] The name has no literal translation. Instead, it is an anagram of the name of a related genus Macrauchenia. This genus was initially discovered in the Sarmiento Formation in the Chubut Province, in Argentina, and later it was found in the Chichinales Formation in the Río Negro Province and the Cerro Bandera Formation in Neuquén, also in Argentina, in sediments assigned to the SALMA Colhuehuapian (in the Early Miocene), as well as the Agua de la Piedra Formation in Mendoza, in sediments dated to the Deseadan (during the Late Oligocene).[2] [3] [4] [5] In 1981 Soria made C. insolita a junior synonym of C. normalis.[6] A specimen of C. normalis was described in 2010 from Cabeza Blanca (Chubut, Argentina) in the Sarmiento Formation, in sediments assigned to the Deseadan SALMA (Upper Oligocene).[7]

Description

This animal had an appearance vaguely similar to that of a small llama or perhaps that of a stocky antelope. The skull of this animal was relatively elongated and provided with a slightly recessed nasal opening, which would indicate the presence of a strong, muscular lip, likely prehensile. In similar but larger and more recent forms, such as Theosodon and Scalabrinitherium, this lip gradually developed, eventually giving rise to a possibly proboscis-like structure with Macrauchenia.[7]

Taxonomy

Cramauchenia was first described by Florentino Ameghino in 1902, based on fossils found in the Sarmiento Formation of Argentina. It is a primitive representative of the Macraucheniidae, a group of South American mammals belonging to the Litopterna, with forms similar to those of camelids, despite not being closely related.[7] Cramauchenia is known for the sole species C. normalis. Another species, C. insolita, was initially described as a separate species, but following a study by Soria 1981 it has since been attributed to the type species.[6] Furthermore, Cramauchenia has been assigned to the Cramaucheniinae, a subfamily including the most basal macraucheniids, however, many recent studies tend to indicate that the subfamily is paraphyletic, with Cramauchenia being most closely related to Pternoconius.[8] [9]

The following position of the Macraucheniidae is based on McGrath et al. 2018, showing the position of Cramauchenia.[8]

Paleoenvironment

Fossils of Cramauchenia have been found in various fossiliferous stratigraphic units in South America. Several specimens come from the Sarmiento Formation in the Golfo San Jorge Basin in central Patagonia, with other finds from the Agua de la Piedra, Cerro Bandera, and the Chichinales Formation of the Neuquén Basin.

In the Chichinales Formation, which is known for its local mammal fauna, Cramauchenia would have coexisted with astrapotheres, the notoungulates Cochilius volvens, Colpodon, Hegetotheriopsis, Hegetotherium[10] and Protypotherium, the rodents Australoprocta, Caviocricetus, Eoviscaccia, and Willidewu,[11] the armadillos Proeutatus and Stenotatus, and the sparassodont Cladosictis. Bird remains from the formation are comparatively poor. A part of a tibiotarsus has previously been classified as an undetermined species of psilopterine phorusrhacid. Other birds include an undetermined wading bird, Opisthodactylus horacioperezi, a species of rhea, and Patagorhacos, a phorusrhacid. During the Miocene the area likely consisted of open but wooded environment with temperate climate and a proximity to freshwater.[2]

The Sarmiento Formation has provided a wide assemblage of mammals, including the astrapotheres Astrapotherium and Parastrapotherium,[12] the notoungulates Argyrohippus,[13] Cochilius, Colpodon,[14] Interatherium, Pachyrukhos and Protypotherium, the fellow litopterns Lambdaconus, Paramacrauchenia, Proheptaconus,[15] Prolicaphrium,[16] Pternoconius,[17] [18] [19] Tetramerorhinus[20] and Theosodon,[21] the xenarthrans Hapaloides, Holomegalonyx, Nematherium, Peltephilus, Proeutatus, Proschismotherium, Prozaedyus, Stegotherium, and Stenotatus,[22] the metatherians Acyon, Acrocyon, Arctodictis, Borhyaena, Cladosictis Palaeothentes, Patagonia, and Sipalocyon,[23] the rodents Acarechimys, Acaremys, Caviocricetus, Eosteiromys, Eoviscaccia, Hypsosteiromys, Neoreomys, Paradelphomys, Parasteiromys, Perimys, Prospaniomys, Prostichomys, Protacaremys, Protadelphomys, Sarremys and Soriamys,[11] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] and the primates Homunculus, Mazzonicebus and Tremacebus.[34] [35] [36] The late-surviving meridiolestidan Necrolestes was also present.[23]

Notes and References

  1. Ameghino . Florentino . 1902 . Première contribution a la connaissance de la faune mammalogique des couches a Colpodon . Boletin de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias en Córdoba, República Argentina . 17 . 71–141 . 0325-2051.
  2. Barrio . Claudio . Carlini . Alfredo A. . Goin . Francisco J. . 1989 . Litogénesis y antigüedad de la Formación Chichinales de Paso Córdoba (Río Negro, Argentina) . Actas, IV Congreso Argentino de Paleontología y Bioestratigrafía, Mendoza . 4 . 149–156.
  3. Federico L. Agnolin and Pablo Chafrat . 2015 . New fossil bird remains from the Chichinales Formation (Early Miocene) of northern Patagonia, Argentina . Annales de Paléontologie . 101 . 2 . 87–94 . 10.1016/j.annpal.2015.02.001. 2015AnPal.101...87A .
  4. Kramarz . Alejandro . Garrido . Alberto . Forasiepi . Analía . Bond . Mariano . Tambussi . Claudia . 2005 . Stratigraphy and vertebrates (Aves and Mammalia) from the Cerro Bandera Formation, Early Miocene of Neuquén Province, Argentina. . . 32 . 2. 10.4067/S0716-02082005000200006. free.
  5. Schmidt . Gabriela Ines . Cerdeño . Esperanza . Pino . Santiago Hernández Del . 2019-05-31 . Macraucheniidae and Proterotheriidae (Mammalia, Litopterna) from Quebrada Fiera (Late Oligocene), Mendoza Province, Argentina . Andean Geology . en . 46 . 2 . 368–382 . 10.5027/andgeoV46n2-3109 . 0718-7106. free. 11336/80129 . free .
  6. Soria . Miguel Fernando . 1981 . Los Litopterna del Colhuehuapense (Oligoceno tardío) de la Argentina. . Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia." . 3 . 1–54.
  7. Dozo, M.T. . Vera, B. . 2010 . First skull and associated postcranial bones of Macraucheniidae (Mammalia, Litopterna) from the Deseadan SALMA (late Oligocene) of Cabeza Blanca (Chubut, Argentina) . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 30 . 6 . 1818–1826 . 10.1080/02724634.2010.521534. 2010JVPal..30.1818D . 86291795 . 11336/93665 . free .
  8. Andrew J. McGrath . Federico Anaya . Darin A. Croft . Tassos Kotsakis . 2018 . Two new macraucheniids (Mammalia: Litopterna) from the late middle Miocene (Laventan South American Land Mammal Age) of Quebrada Honda, Bolivia . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 38 . 3 . e1461632 . 10.1080/02724634.2018.1461632 . 2018JVPal..38E1632M . 89881990.
  9. Schmidt. Gabriela I.. Ferrero. Brenda S.. September 2014. Taxonomic Reinterpretation of Theosodon hystatus Cabrera and Kraglievich, 1931 (Litopterna, Macraucheniidae) and Phylogenetic Relationships of the Family. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 34. 5. 1231–1238. 10.1080/02724634.2014.837393. 2014JVPal..34.1231S . 86091386 . 11336/18953. free.
  10. Kramarz . Alejandro Gustavo . Paz . Ernesto Rodrigo . 2013 . Un Hegetotheriidae (Mammalia, Notoungulata) basal del Mioceno temprano de Patagonia . Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas . es . 30 . 1 . 186–195 . 1026-8774.
  11. Book: Madden . Richard H. . https://books.google.com/books?id=oY7wkK6lV4cC&q=Colhuehuapian+rodents+from+Gran+Barranca+and+other+Patagonian+localities%3A+the+state+of+the+art.&pg=PA206 . Colhuehuapian rodents from Gran Barranca and other Patagonian localities: the state of the art.. The Paleontology of Gran Barranca: Evolution and Environmental Change Through the Middle Cenozoic of Patagonia . Carlini . Alfredo A. . Vucetich . Maria Guiomar . Kay . Richard F. . 2010-06-17 . Cambridge University Press . 978-0-521-87241-6 . en.
  12. Book: Madden . Richard H. . https://books.google.com/books?id=oY7wkK6lV4cC&dq=Colhuehuapian+Astrapotheriidae+%28Mammalia%29+from+Gran+Barranca+south+of+Lake+Colhue+Huapi.&pg=PA182 . The Paleontology of Gran Barranca: Evolution and Environmental Change Through the Middle Cenozoic of Patagonia . Carlini . Alfredo A. . Vucetich . Maria Guiomar . Kay . Richard F. . 2010-06-17 . Cambridge University Press . 978-0-521-87241-6 . en . Colhuehuapian Astrapotheriidae (Mammalia) from Gran Barranca south of Lake Colhue Huapi..
  13. Book: G.M López . https://books.google.com/books?id=oY7wkK6lV4cC&pg=PA143 . The Paleontology of Gran Barranca. Evolution and Environmental Change Through the Middle Cenozoic of Patagonia . A.M. Ribeiro . M. Bond . Cambridge University Press . 2010 . 978-0-521-87241-6 . Richard H. Madden . 143–151 . The Notohippidae (Mammalia, Notoungulata) from Gran Barranca: preliminary considerations . Alfredo A. Carlini . Maria Guiomar Vucetich . Richard F. Kay.
  14. Book: Madden . Richard H. . https://books.google.com/books?id=oY7wkK6lV4cC&dq=The+Leontiniidae+%28Mammalia%2C+Notoungulata%29+from+the+Sarmiento+Formation+at+Gran+Barranca%2C+Chubut+Province%2C+Argentina.&pg=PR5 . The Paleontology of Gran Barranca: Evolution and Environmental Change Through the Middle Cenozoic of Patagonia . Carlini . Alfredo A. . Vucetich . Maria Guiomar . Kay . Richard F. . 2010-06-17 . Cambridge University Press . 978-0-521-87241-6 . en . The Leontiniidae (Mammalia, Notoungulata) from the Sarmiento Formation at Gran Barranca, Chubut Province, Argentina..
  15. Cifelli . Richard . Soria . Miguel Fernando . 1983 . Systematics of the Adianthidae (Litopterna, Mammalia). . . en-US . 2771 . 1–25. 2246/5255 .
  16. Vera . Bárbara Soledad . Fornasiero . Mariagabriella . Del Favero . Letizia . December 2015 . The Egidio Feruglio's collection in the Museum of Geology and Palaeontology of the University of Padova: its importance to the knowledge of Cenozoic mammals from South America . Museologia Scientifica . 9 . 35–44 . 1123-265X.
  17. Cifelli . Richard L. . Soria . Miguel F. . 1983 . Notes on Deseadan Macraucheniidae . Ameghiniana . es . 20 . 1–2 . 141–153 . 1851-8044.
  18. Soria (h) . Miguel Fernando . Hoffstetter . Robert . 1985 . Pternoconius tournoueri, nueva especie de Macraucheniidae (Mammalia; Litopterna) de edad Colhuehuapense (Oligoceno Tardio); Pcia. Del Chubut, República Argentina . Ameghiniana . es . 22 . 3–4 . 149–158 . 1851-8044.
  19. Cheme-Arriaga . Lucas . Dozo . MarÍa Teresa . Gelfo . Javier N. . 2016-11-01 . A new Cramaucheniinae (Litopterna, Macraucheniidae) from the early Miocene of Patagonia, Argentina . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 36 . 6 . e1229672 . 10.1080/02724634.2017.1229672 . 2016JVPal..36E9672C . 88586687 . 0272-4634.
  20. Book: A. G. Kramarz . The Paleontology of Gran Barranca. Evolution and Environmental Change Through the Middle Cenozoic of Patagonia . M. G. Vucetich . A. A. Carlini . M. R. Ciancio . M. A. Abello . C. M. Deschamps . J. N. Gelfo . Cambridge University Press . 2010 . 978-0-521-87241-6 . Richard H. Madden . 143–151 . A new mammal fauna at the top of the Gran Barranca sequence and its biochronological significance. . Alfredo A. Carlini . Maria Guiomar Vucetich . Richard F. Kay.
  21. Kramarz . Alejandro G. . Bond . Mariano . 2005 . Los Litopterna (Mammalia) de la Formación Pinturas, Mioceno Temprano-Medio de Patagonia . Ameghiniana . es . 42 . 3 . 611–625 . 1851-8044.
  22. Book: Carlini . Alfredo Armando . The Paleontology of Gran Barranca. Evolution and Environmental Change Through the Middle Cenozoic of Patagonia . Ciancio . Martin R. . Scillato-Yané . G. J. . Cambridge University Press . 2010 . 978-0-521-87241-6 . 143–151 . Middle Eocene-early Miocene Dasypodidae (Xenarthra) of Southern South America, successive faunas in Gran Barranca; Biostratigraphy and Palaeoecology.
  23. Goin . Francisco J. . Abello . María Alejandra . February 2013 . Los Metatheria Sudamericanos de Comienzos Del Neógeno (Mioceno Temprano, Edad MamÍFero Colhuehuapense): Microbiotheria y Polydolopimorphia . Ameghiniana . 50 . 1 . 51–78 . 10.5710/AMGH.9.11.2012.570 . 0002-7014 . free. 11336/76812 . free .
  24. Vucetich . M.G. . Dozo . M.T. . Arnal . M. . Pérez . M.E. . 2015-02-17 . New rodents (Mammalia) from the late Oligocene of Cabeza Blanca (Chubut) and the first rodent radiation in Patagonia . . 27 . 2 . 236–257 . 10.1080/08912963.2014.883506 . 2015HBio...27..236V . 84157246 . 0891-2963. 11336/17958 . free .
  25. Arnal . M. . Vucetich . M.G. . 2015-01-02 . Revision of the fossil rodent Acaremys Ameghino, 1887 (Hystricognathi, Octodontoidea, Acaremyidae) from the Miocene of Patagonia (Argentina) and the description of a new acaremyid . Historical Biology . 27 . 1 . 42–59 . 10.1080/08912963.2013.863881 . 0891-2963 . free. 2015HBio...27...42A . 11336/13646 . free .
  26. Vucetich . María Guiomar . Kramarz . Alejandro G. . 2003-06-17 . https://doi.org/10.1671/0272-4634(2003)023[0435:NMRFPA2.0.CO;2 New Miocene rodents from Patagonia (Argentina) and their bearing on the early radiation of the octodontoids (Hystricognathi) ]. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 23 . 2 . 435–444 . 10.1671/0272-4634(2003)023[0435:NMRFPA]2.0.CO;2 . 85705842 . 0272-4634.
  27. Vucetich . M. G. . Verzi . D. H. . 1996-06-05 . A peculiar octodontoid (Rodentia, Caviomorpha) with terraced molars from the Lower Miocene of Patagonia (Argentina) . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 16 . 2 . 297–302 . 10.1080/02724634.1996.10011317 . 1996JVPal..16..297V . 0272-4634.
  28. Kramarz . Alejandro Gustavo . 2001 . Registro de Eoviscaccia (Rodentia, Chinchillidae) en estratos colhuehuapenses de Patagonia, Argentina . Ameghiniana . es . 38 . 3 . 237–242 . 1851-8044.
  29. Dozo . María T. . Vucetich . María G. . Candela . Adriana M. . 2004-03-25 . Skull anatomy and neuromorphology of Hypsosteiromys, a Colhuehuapian erethizontid rodent from Argentina . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 24 . 1 . 228–234 . 10.1671/18.1 . 2004JVPal..24..228D . 86327308 . 0272-4634. 11336/103980 . free .
  30. Patterson . B. . Pascual . R. . 1968 . New echimyid rodents from the Oligocene of Patagonia, and a synopsis of the family . . 301 . 1–14 . 0006-9698.
  31. Arnal . Michelle . Kramarz . Alejandro G. . 2011-09-01 . First complete skull of an octodontoid (Rodentia, Caviomorpha) from the Early Miocene of South America and its bearing in the early evolution of Octodontoidea . Geobios . en . 44 . 5 . 435–444 . 10.1016/j.geobios.2010.12.003 . 2011Geobi..44..435A . 0016-6995. 11336/69014 . free .
  32. Álvarez . Alicia . Arnal . Michelle . 2015-12-01 . First Approach to the Paleobiology of Extinct Prospaniomys (Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Octodontoidea) Through Head Muscle Reconstruction and the Study of Craniomandibular Shape Variation . Journal of Mammalian Evolution . en . 22 . 4 . 519–533 . 10.1007/s10914-015-9291-z . 16937577 . 1573-7055. 11336/19056 . free .
  33. Busker . Felipe . Pérez . María E. . Dozo . María T. . 2019-07-01 . A new chinchilloid (Rodentia, Hystricognathi) from the early Miocene of the localities of Bryn Gwyn and Gran Barranca (Patagonia, Argentina) . Comptes Rendus Palevol . en . 18 . 5 . 525–540 . 10.1016/j.crpv.2019.05.003 . 202185808 . 1631-0683. free . 2019CRPal..18..525B .
  34. Hershkovitz . Philip . 1981-01-31 . Comparative Anatomy of Platyrrhine Mandibular Cheek Teeth dpm4, pm4, m1 with Particular Reference to Those of Homunculus (Cebidae), and Comments on Platyrrhine Origins . Folia Primatologica . 35 . 2–3 . 179–217 . 10.1159/000155972 . 7021372 . 0015-5713.
  35. Novo . Nelson M. . Tejedor . Marcelo F. . Ruiz . Laureano R. González . 2018-11-08 . Previously unknown fossil platyrrhines (Primates) of Patagonia from the Tournouër collection at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris . Geodiversitas . 40 . 4 . 529–535 . 10.5252/geodiversitas2018v40a22 . 1280-9659 . free. 11336/82708 . free .
  36. Hershkovitz . Philip . 1974 . A New Genus of Late Oligocene Monkey (Cebidae, Platyrrhini) with Notes on Postorbital Closure and Platyrrhine Evolution . . english . 21 . 1 . 1–35 . 10.1159/000155594 . 0015-5713 . 4210697.

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