Eocene land mammals from Seymour Island, Antarctica: palaeobiogeographical implications

Middle Eocene land mammals from La Meseta Formation, Seymour (Marambio) Island are reviewed. A taxonomically diverse fossil land-vertebrate assemblage with small and medium-size mammals has been recovered from four localities. The depositional setting is shallow marine and most of the mammal-bearing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antarctic Science
Main Authors: Marenssi, S. A., Reguero, M. A., Santillana, S. N., Vizcaino, S. F.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1994
Subjects:
Geology
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Oceanography
Antarctic
The Antarctic
Antarctic Peninsula
Patagonia
Seymour
Seymour Island
Marambio
Antarc*
Antarctic Science
Antarctica
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102094000027
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102094000027
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Summary:Middle Eocene land mammals from La Meseta Formation, Seymour (Marambio) Island are reviewed. A taxonomically diverse fossil land-vertebrate assemblage with small and medium-size mammals has been recovered from four localities. The depositional setting is shallow marine and most of the mammal-bearing beds are in reworked, moderate to high energy subtidal facies. The characteristics of these mammals not only confirm but also strengthen the biogeographical relationships between southern South America (Patagonian Province) and the Antarctic Peninsula during the Paleogene and rule out the possibility of a major barrier between these areas. The Antarctic ungulates ( Astrapotheria and ?Litopterna ) are plesiomorphics in retaining low crowned cheek teeth and are more similar to those from the Pancasamayoran local faunas of southern South America (Patagonia).

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