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New Metatherian Mammal from the Early Eocene of Antarctica

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Abstract

A new Paleogene metatherian from locality IAA 1/90, Marambio (Seymour) Island in the Antarctic Peninsula is described. Pujatodon ektopos, gen. et sp. nov., is recognized on the basis of a tiny lower left molar recovered from early Eocene (late Ypresian) levels of the Cucullaea I Allomember, La Meseta Formation. The tooth is characterized by its small size, bunoid aspect, short trigonid with closely set paraconid and metaconid, wide and long talonid, the development of an incipient cingulid at the labial base of the crown between the trigonid and talonid, and an expanded posterior cingulid. Body mass estimations for the new taxon range from 83.13 to 153.15 g. Its enamel microstructure shows the earliest evidence among metatherians of aligned prisms, as well as of interprismatic sheets of matrix. The analysis of other parameters, like body mass, molar morphometric index, and wear facets, suggests that the molars of Pujatodon were primarily adapted to the processing of fruits, nuts, seeds, and/or hard insects. Several features suggest the allocation of this specimen among basal polydolopimorphians (Prepidolopidae or, more probably, Glasbiidae). The discovery of the specimen MLP 14-I-10-20 could offer new insights on the origins and early diversification of Australidelphian marsupials in southern (and northern?) continents. It also adds significant information on the diversity of Antarctic Paleogene mammals, their evolution, habits, and historical biogeography.

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to staff of the Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA), Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA), and Dirección Nacional del Antártico (DNA) for their logistic support during the field season, particularly to Alejandro “Chuchu” Crivero. To Carolina Acosta Hospitaleche, Guillermo López, and Sergio Santillana, who were part of the summer field team. To Agustín Pérez Moreno (who discovered the specimen MLP 14-I-10-20) and Facundo Irazoqui for their help in the sorting of sediment concentrates. To Patricia Sarmiento for her help with the Scanning Electron Microscope (MEB, MLP). Alfredo Carlini, Mónica Tassara, Estela Martin, and Mariana Adami helped with some of the photos of the type specimen. Marcela Tomeo designed most of the figures that illustrate this work. Cecilia Deschamps helped with the English version. We also thank two anonymous reviewers and the Editor of JME for comments on the manuscript. CONICET (Argentina), Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (Argentina), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP, Argentina), Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA), the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH, Germany) to F. J. G., Universidad Nacional de La Plata (N812-UNLP), and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, PICT 201-0508 to A. N. Z and L. C. J. N. G. is particularly grateful to Oceanwide Expeditions, Vlissingen (NL) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Argentina

    Francisco J. Goin, Emma C. Vieytes, Javier N. Gelfo, Laura Chornogubsky, Ana N. Zimicz & Marcelo A. Reguero

  2. División Paleontología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina

    Francisco J. Goin, Javier N. Gelfo & Marcelo A. Reguero

  3. MORPHOS Lab, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina

    Francisco J. Goin

  4. División Zoología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina

    Emma C. Vieytes

  5. Sección Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Av. Angel Gallardo, 470, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Laura Chornogubsky

  6. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA (IBIGEO, CONICET-UNSa) CCT-Salta, 9 de julio 14, 4405, Rosario de Lerma, Argentina

    Ana N. Zimicz

  7. Instituto Antártico Argentino, 25 de Mayo 1151, CP 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Marcelo A. Reguero

Authors
  1. Francisco J. Goin
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  2. Emma C. Vieytes
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  3. Javier N. Gelfo
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  4. Laura Chornogubsky
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  5. Ana N. Zimicz
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  6. Marcelo A. Reguero
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francisco J. Goin.

Appendix

Appendix

Character states for Pujatodon ektopos, gen. et sp. nov., based on the matrix of Chornogubsky and Goin (2015: supplementary data).

Pujatodon ektopos

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Goin, F.J., Vieytes, E.C., Gelfo, J.N. et al. New Metatherian Mammal from the Early Eocene of Antarctica. J Mammal Evol 27, 17–36 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-018-9449-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-018-9449-6

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