A new pachyrukhine (Notoungulata: Typotheria) from the late Early Miocene of south-central Chile

Abstract

Here, we studied several Pachyrukhinae (Mammalia: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Hegetotheriidae) fossils recovered from the late Early Miocene (Santacrucian SALMA) beds of the Cura-Mallín Formation at the Laguna del Laja (Biobío Region, Chile). The specimens are referred to a new species of the genus Pachyrukhos Ameghino, 1885, P. ngenwinkul sp. nov. The holotype of this taxon is a relatively well-preserved articulated skull and mandibles, which was investigated using 3D X-ray Microscopy. The new taxon is distinguished from other Pachyrukhos species by having a p2 smaller than p3, M3 mesiodistally shorter (around 30%) than M1, and upper premolars of a rather subtriangular contour. Pachyrukhos ngenwinkul is the most common mammal and the smallest-sized (with ~2 kg of body mass) notoungulate found in the Santacrucian assemblage at the Laguna del Laja. The discovery of this new taxon improves our understanding of the Neogene pachyrukhine diversity in southern South America and highlights the potential of the Chilean Andean Cenozoic deposits in revealing a hidden diversity of extinct continental mammals.