Additions to the knowlege of Urumaquia robusta (Xenarthra, Phyllophaga, Megatheriidae) from the Urumaco Formation (Late Miocene), Estado Falcón, Venezuela

Abstract

We describe new remains of Urumaquia robusta CARLINI, BRANDONI & SÁNCHEZ, 2006, which significantly improve the knowledge of the species and allow a more precise discussion about the relationships with the rest of the South American Megatheriinae. The new remains (ulna, phalanx, femora, patella, tibia, astragalus, navicular, metatarsals IV-V) described here suggest close affinities of this taxon with the species of Pyramiodontherium and with Megatheriops rectidens, based on morphological similarities of the ulna (length, gracility), femur (general morphology, shape of the medial margin), and astragalus (angle between the discoidal and odontoid facets). In fact, the shape of femoral medial margin is a shared derived character among Urumaquia, Pyramiodontherium and Megatheriops. However, and despite the increasing information concerning Tertiary species, their phylogenetic relationships are only partially understood.