First record of a fossil procyonid (Cyonasua cf. C. pascuali), Mammalia, Procyonidae) in Bolivia, Tariquía Fm., Late Miocene

Abstract

We present the first record of an extinct procyonid for Bolivia (Tariquía Formation, La Angostura, Santa Cruz de La Sierra; Late Miocene). It corresponds to Cyonasua, the first Carnivore taxon to enter South America from North America before the Paniamian Isthmus raised and as a part of the proto Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI). Cyonasua fossil record, comprises the temporal lapse late Miocene to early Pleistocene in several localities of Argentina, Venezuela and Uruguay. This genus encompasses ten formally named species: C. argentina, C. brevirostris, C. longirostris, C. pascuali, C. groeberi, C. lutaria, C. clausa, C. robusta, C. argentines, and C. meranii. The mandible and teeth preserved of the new specimen, YPFBLIT-PAL-020, allows us to assign it to Cyonasua cf. C. pascuali. This record reinforces the paleoenvironment with warm climates and humid environments with abundant water bodies, vegetation and trees proposed previously for Tariquia Fm. Also, the proposed Huayquerian Age for this Formation is supported by this record.