Extinction of a gomphothere population from Southeastern Brazil
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During the Quaternary in South America, the gomphotheres were one of the most common elements in
the mammal megafauna. They went extinct in an evolutionary event known as the Late-Pleistocene
Megafaunal Extinction, of which climate changes and human hunting are commonly claimed as the
main possible causes. Most of the Brazilian Pleistocene fossil mammals did not preserve collagen, so
alternative dating techniques are needed. In this case, the only option for dating such fossils is via
Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dating. The aim of this paper is (i) to place the Quaternary Águas de
Araxá’s Notiomastodon platensis population in a chronological context through ESR dating and, (ii) to
investigate its paleoenvironmental context and extinction causes. The ESR analysis was made on both
crushed tooth enamel and sediment from the study area. They were subjected to Neutron Activation
Analysis to determine the concentration of U, Th and K. The ESR dating indicated an age somewhere
between 60,000 and 55,000 a for this N. platensis population (Lujanian, the last age of the Late Pleistocene South American Land Mammal Ages e SALMA). The date found for these gomphotheres is
included in the Middle Pleniglacial, which is characterized by a cold and arid climate. Previous paleodiet
studies suggest that the feeding habits of those individuals were basically opportunistic/generalist
herbivores (C3 grasses and woody plants). Taphonomically, it was observed that the gomphotheres
carcasses were transported by a high-energy water stream, typical of fluvial systems, and that the large
amount of individuals in the fossil record is due to a mass death event related to a dry period. Based on
taphonomical, paleoecological and chronological evidence, it is possible to assume that the gomphothere
population from the Quaternary of Águas de Araxá is probably an example of individuals that suffered
from climate changes during the Late Pleistocene in South America.
Como referenciar
AVILLA, LEONARDO dos S.; FIGUEIREDO, ANA M.G.; KINOSHITA, ANGELA; BERTONI-MACHADO, CRISTINA; MOTHE, DIMILA; ASEVEDO, LIDIANE; BAFFA, OSWALDO; DOMINATO, VICTOR H. Extinction of a gomphothere population from Southeastern Brazil: taphonomic, paleoecological and chronological remarks. Quaternary International, v. 305, p. 85-90, 2013. DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2012.09.015. Disponível em: http://repositorio.ipen.br/handle/123456789/4109. Acesso em: 30 Dec 2025.
Esta referência é gerada automaticamente de acordo com as normas do estilo IPEN/SP (ABNT NBR 6023) e recomenda-se uma verificação final e ajustes caso necessário.