The Patagonian mara Dolichotis patagonum (Zimmermann, 1780) (Rodentia, Caviomorpha, Caviidae) in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Uruguay: body mass, paleoenvironmental and biogeographical connotations

Abstract

The extant Patagonian mara Dolichotis patagonum (Zimmermann, 1780) is a cursorial herbivorous rodent that is hare-like in appearance. Nowadays, it occurs in some ecoregions of Argentina (28 ◦S–50 ◦S) in lowland habitats, in semi-arid thorn-scrub, in open grasslands and in shrub–land steppe. In this research, we have studied a partially preserved skull (FCDPV-2758), referred to D. patagonum, from the Late Pleistocene (Sopas Formation) in northern Uruguay (Arapey Grande River, Salto Department). Body mass estimates and morphological analyses were performed including contemporary specimens of D. patagonum, the Chaco mara Dolichotis salinicola, and extinct dolichotine species. The body mass estimate using the regression method and geometric similarity suggested a 6–8 kg range for the studied specimen, which is consistent with D. patagonum (7–8 kg) and notably greater than D. salinicola (1–2.3 kg). A comparative analysis, including the extinct D. platycephala and material previously referred to D. major from southwestern Uruguay, suggests that the studied specimen falls within the variation of D. patagonum, differing in part from D. chapalmalense and more clearly from D. salinicola, the extinct D. minor and Prodolichotis prisca. The implications of the wider geographic distributions of the living Patagonian mara at these latitudes in the Late Pleistocene in South America, and the paleoenvironmental significance are discussed.