Latest Pliocene Mammals from Haile XV A, Alachua County, Florida

Abstract

The mammalian fauna of Haile XV A is the first known from the Gulf Coastal Plain during Blancan (Latest Pliocene) time. The mammals are represented by 8 orders, 17 families, and 18 genera, of which two are new species and three are new to North America. Kraglievichia, a giant, extinct armadillo previously known only from Late Miocene and Pliocene deposits of South America, is reported for the first time in North America and a new species is described. A brief review of the subfamily Chlamytheriinae suggests that Plaina Castellanos is a synonym of Kraglievichia Castellanos and that Hoffstetteria Castellanos is a synonym of Pampatherium Ameghino. Chlamytheres are shown to have been present in North America continuously since the establishment of the Iate Cenozoic land bridge between North and South America. Dasypus ballus (Simpson), a smaller extinct armadillo, is reported for the first time in the Blancan, marking its earliest occurrence anywhere.

Glossotherium chapadmalensis (Kraglievich), a small mylodont ground sloth previously known only from the early Pleistocene of Argentina, is reported from North America for the first time. This species may haye been ancestral to both G. harlani (Owen) and G. robustus (Owen).

The Old World Flying Squirrel, Cryptopterus, is reported for the first time in the New World and a new species is described. The nearest related species occurs in the Late Pliocene deposits of West Germany.

Close alliance of several Haile XV A taxa with South American Plio-Pleistocence forms strengthens the previously suggested correlation between the Chapadmalalan stage of South America and at least the early part of the Blancan stage of North America.

The abundance of aquatic non-mammalian vertebrates, together with the large extinct otter, Satherium, and the beaver, Castor, indicate that the environment of deposition was a permanent stream. The terrestrial community includes the tropical or subtropical edentates Kraglievichia and Dasypus. Probable forest indicators include Mylohyus, Castor, Cryptopterus, Glossotherium, and Tapirus. The zoogeography of several exotic forms is discussed.