A new species of Tapirus (Perissodactyla: Tapiridae) is described from the upper Pleistocene of the Rio Madeira Formation in Araras, Nova Mamoré Municipality, Rondonia State, Brazil. Tapirus rondoniensis sp. nov. is represented by a nearly complete skull with a unique combination of characters that differ from those of extant and fossil species of Tapirus described from South America. It is diagnosed mainly by its broad frontals that bear a pneumatization extending to the frontoparietal suture, a high sagittal crest, a weakly molarized P2 lacking a protoloph, and a metaloph that merely reaches the base of the ectoloph. T. rondoniensis sp. nov. is similar in some respects to T. terrestris, but it retains some primitive dental and cranial character states in common with T. pinchaque, such as broad frontals and a weakly molarized P2.
How to translate text using browser tools
16 February 2011
New Tapirus species (Mammalia: Perissodactyla: Tapiridae) from the upper Pleistocene of Amazonia, Brazil
Elizete C. Holanda,
Jorge Ferigolo,
Ana Maria Ribeiro
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
Journal of Mammalogy
Vol. 92 • No. 1
February 2011
Vol. 92 • No. 1
February 2011
new taxon
Rio Madeira Formation
Rondonia
tapiridae
Tapirus
Upper Pleistocene