A new Late Pleistocene megafauna site from Southwestern Bahia, Brazil: taxonomy, chronology, and isotope paleoecology of macro-megaherbivores

This study presents fossils of six mammalian taxa (Eremotherium laurillardi, Mylodonopsis ibseni, Scelidotheriinae, Toxodontinae, Notiomastodon platensis, and Equidae) discovered in novel fossiliferous tank deposits in the municipalities of Mirante and Anagé, in the Southwestern region of Bahia, Brazil. In addition to taxonomic identification, the objective of this investigation was to refine the chronology (radiocarbon dating) and palaeoecology (δ13C, δ18O; body mass estimations) of these taxa. Ages between 29,047 and 29495 cal yr BP were determined for E. laurillardi and 36,474–37056 cal yr BP for N. platensis, which is consistent with previous datings for these species in the Brazilian Intertropical Region (BIR). The isotopic values suggested generalist diets for the species, with greater consumption of C4 plants by Scelidotheriinae and C3 plants by E. laurillardi, N. platensis, and Toxodontinae. For E. laurillardi, the estimated body mass ranged from 1445 kg to 4570 kg, aligning with previous body mass estimations. Although pontual to the RIB, these new records expand the information about several macro-megaherbivores taxa from South America, allowing a better understanding of their chronology and palaeoecology.