Complete zygomatic arches in the Late Quaternary sloth Neocnus from La Altagracia province, Dominican Republic
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Published
Jul 22, 2022
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Abstract
Specimens of the extinct sloth genus Neocnus recovered from northwestern La Altagracia Province, Dominican Republic exhibit a unique zygomatic arch. The arch consists of the jugal anteriorly fused to the maxilla and the zygomatic arch ligament fully ossified between the jugal and the zygomatic process of the temporal bone. Evidence of the novel ossification is seen in adult and juvenile individuals. This occurrence is also unexpected as Neocnus individuals are 40 times smaller than the next sloth genus (e.g. Nothrotheriops) with a secondarily complete arch. No known species of Neocnus exhibits any of these jugal and zygomatic features and thus these specimens may represent a new species.
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Neocnus, paleontology, Hispaniola, morphology, jugal
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MacPhee, R. D. E., White, J. L., & Woods, C. A. (2000). New megalonychid sloths (Phyllogphaga, Xenarthra) from the Quaternary of Hispaniola. American Museum Novitates, 3303, 1–32.
McAfee, R. K. (2011). Feeding Mechanics and Dietary Implications in the fossil sloth Neocnus (Mammalia: Xenarthra: Megalonychidae) from Haiti. Journal of Morphology, 272(10), 1204–1216.
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McDonald, H. G. (1977). Description of the osteology of the extinct gravigrade edentate Megalonyx with observations on its ontogeny, phylogeny and functional anatomy [Master’s Thesis, University of Florida].https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=es&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=McDonald%2C+H.+G.+%281977%29
Naples, V. L. (1982). Cranial osteology and function in the tree sloths, Bradypus and Choloepus. American Museum Novitates, (2739), 1–41.
Naples, V. L. (1987). Reconstruction of cranial morphology and analysis of function in the Pleistocene ground sloth Nothrotheriops shastense (Mammalia, Megatheriidae). Contributions in Science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, (389), 1–21.
Naples, V. L. (1989). The feeding mechanism in the Pleistocene ground sloth, Glossotherium. Contributions in Science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, (415), 1–23.
Naples, V. L. (1990). Morphological changes in the facial region and a model of dental growth and wear pattern development in Nothrotheriops shastensis. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 10(3), 372–389.
Naples, V. L. (1999). Morphology, evolution and function of feeding in the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla). Journal of Zoology, London, (249), 19–41.
Naples, V. L., & McAfee, R. K. (2012). Reconstruction of the cranial musculature and masticatory function of the Pleistocene panamerican ground sloth Eremotherium laurillardi (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Megatheriidae). Historical Biology, 24(2), 187–206.
Naples, V. L., & McAfee, R. K. (2014). Chewing through the Miocene: an examination of the feeding musculature in the ground sloth Hapalops from South America. F1000 Research, 3, 86. http://f1000research.com/articles/3-86/v1
Sicher, H. (1944). Masticatory apparatus of the sloths. Fieldiana Zoology, (29), 161–168.
Silva Taboada, G., Suárez Duque, W., & Díaz Franco, S. (2007). Compendio de los mamíferos terrestres autóctonos de Cuba vivientes y extinguidos. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, La Habana, Fernwood Books, Ltd.
Wetzel, R. M. (1985). The identification and distribution of Recent Xenarthra (=Edentata). In G. G. Montgomery (Ed.), The Evolution and Ecology of Armadillos, Sloths, and Vermilinguas (pp. 5–21). Smithsonian Institution Press.
Anthony, H. E. (1926). Scientific survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mammals of the Porto Rico, living and extinct–Rodents and Edentata. New York Academy of Sciences, 9(2), 97–241.
Bargo, M. S. (2001). The ground sloth Megatherium americanum: skull shape, bite forces, and diet. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 46(2), 173–192.
Croft, D. A. (2016). Horned armadillos and rafting monkeys. Indiana University Press.
De Iuliis, G. (1996). A systematic review of the Megatheriinae (Mammalia: Xenarthra: Megatheriidae) [Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada]. https:// www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/systematic-review-megatheriinae-mammalia/ docview/304328110/se-2?accountid=40721
Delsuc, F., & Douzery, E. J. (2008). Recent advances and future prospects in xenarthran molecular phylogenetics. In S. F. Vizcaíno & W. J. Loughry (Eds.), The Biology of the Xenarthra (pp. 11–23). University Press of Florida.
Farina, R. A., Vizcaíno, S. F., & Bargo, M. S. (1998). Body mass estimations in Lujanian (late Pleistocene-early Holocene of South America) mammal megafauna. Mastozoología Neotropical, 5(2), 87–108.
Fischer, K. (1971) Riesenfaultiere (Megalonychidae, Edentata, Mammalia) aus dem Pleistozän der Plio-Domingo-Höhle in Kuba. Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift, Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe, 20, 609–673.
MacPhee, R. D. E., White, J. L., & Woods, C. A. (2000). New megalonychid sloths (Phyllogphaga, Xenarthra) from the Quaternary of Hispaniola. American Museum Novitates, 3303, 1–32.
McAfee, R. K. (2011). Feeding Mechanics and Dietary Implications in the fossil sloth Neocnus (Mammalia: Xenarthra: Megalonychidae) from Haiti. Journal of Morphology, 272(10), 1204–1216.
McAfee, R. K., & Rimoli, R. O. (2019). Easternmost occurrences of Neocnus (Mammalia, Pilosa, Megalonychidae) from the late Pleistocene–early Holocene of the Dominican Republic (Hispaniola). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 39, 3. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 02724634.2019.1624971
McDonald, H. G. (1977). Description of the osteology of the extinct gravigrade edentate Megalonyx with observations on its ontogeny, phylogeny and functional anatomy [Master’s Thesis, University of Florida].https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=es&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=McDonald%2C+H.+G.+%281977%29
Naples, V. L. (1982). Cranial osteology and function in the tree sloths, Bradypus and Choloepus. American Museum Novitates, (2739), 1–41.
Naples, V. L. (1987). Reconstruction of cranial morphology and analysis of function in the Pleistocene ground sloth Nothrotheriops shastense (Mammalia, Megatheriidae). Contributions in Science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, (389), 1–21.
Naples, V. L. (1989). The feeding mechanism in the Pleistocene ground sloth, Glossotherium. Contributions in Science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, (415), 1–23.
Naples, V. L. (1990). Morphological changes in the facial region and a model of dental growth and wear pattern development in Nothrotheriops shastensis. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 10(3), 372–389.
Naples, V. L. (1999). Morphology, evolution and function of feeding in the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla). Journal of Zoology, London, (249), 19–41.
Naples, V. L., & McAfee, R. K. (2012). Reconstruction of the cranial musculature and masticatory function of the Pleistocene panamerican ground sloth Eremotherium laurillardi (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Megatheriidae). Historical Biology, 24(2), 187–206.
Naples, V. L., & McAfee, R. K. (2014). Chewing through the Miocene: an examination of the feeding musculature in the ground sloth Hapalops from South America. F1000 Research, 3, 86. http://f1000research.com/articles/3-86/v1
Sicher, H. (1944). Masticatory apparatus of the sloths. Fieldiana Zoology, (29), 161–168.
Silva Taboada, G., Suárez Duque, W., & Díaz Franco, S. (2007). Compendio de los mamíferos terrestres autóctonos de Cuba vivientes y extinguidos. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, La Habana, Fernwood Books, Ltd.
Wetzel, R. M. (1985). The identification and distribution of Recent Xenarthra (=Edentata). In G. G. Montgomery (Ed.), The Evolution and Ecology of Armadillos, Sloths, and Vermilinguas (pp. 5–21). Smithsonian Institution Press.
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How to Cite
McAfee, R. K., & Almonte, J. N. (2022). Complete zygomatic arches in the Late Quaternary sloth Neocnus from La Altagracia province, Dominican Republic. Novitates Caribaea, (20), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.33800/nc.vi20.301
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