Estudo de mamíferos do pleistoceno de matina, Bahia: anatomia e sistemática

Abstract

The Pleistocene Epoch, between 1,75 million and 11,000 years before present, is characterized by climatic variations and the presence of great mammals that dominated the world after the dinosaurs extinction, at the end of Mesozoic Era. The mammal fossils came from caves and tanks, having a great representation in the Bahia State and in all the Northeast Brazil. The aim of this work was the study of mammalian fossils from the Sitio Novo tank, Matina Municipality, Bahia State. After the field work, for to know the deposit and the fossil’s collect, it was made the description and identification of these materials. It was described and identified thirty three specimens, comprising seven taxa: Eremotherium laurillard, cf. Glossotherium sp. Glyptodontidae, cf. Xenorhinotherium bahiense, Toxodontidae, Notiomastodon platensis and Camelidae. This locality is one of the most diverse records of extinct mammalian fauna until now for the Bahia’s tanks. According to the studied assemblage, it was suggested that the local fauna should be late Pleistocene in Age and a colder and dryer climate, with predominance of open areas.