This is a list of gomphothere fossils found in South America. Gomphotheres were elephant-like mammals that lived from the Middle Miocene (approximately 12 million years ago) to the Holocene (6000 years BP).
The following species have been described in twentieth and twenty-first century paleontological literature about South America. [2] An alternative proposal is considered within the scientific community, [3] [4] [5] [6] listed below.
Modern classification
Original classification
Formations are ordered according to their youngest age
| Age | Formation | Location | Present elevation | Fossils | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleistocene | Río Rujero, Tarija | 1,718 m (5,636 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | ||
| Ulloma Fm. | Río Desaguadero, Ulloma, Oruro | 3,880 m (12,730 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | ||
| Anzaldo, Cochabamba | 3,038 m (9,967 ft) | Cuvieronius sp. | |||
| Betanzos Basin, between Potosí and Sucre | 3,390 m (11,120 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Valle de Carohuaycho, between Camiri and Charagua | 1,080 m (3,540 ft) | Cuvieronius "andinum" | |||
| Chiquitos | 167 m (548 ft) | Cuvieronius "andinum" | |||
| Villa Montes, Tarija | 413 m (1,355 ft) | Notiomastodon platensis | |||
| Mid Pleistocene | Ñuapua Fm. | Ñuapua 1, Chuquisaca | 595 m (1,952 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | |
| Early Pleistocene | Tarija Fm. | Tarija, Tarija | 973 m (3,192 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon, C. tropicus , Notiomastodon sp., Stegomastodon sp. | |
| Age | Formation | Location | Present elevation | Fossils | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holocene | Lagoa do Rumo/Chapada Diamantina, Baixa Grande, Bahia | 400 m (1,300 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | ||
| Late Pleistocene | Garrincho, São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí | 390 m (1,280 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | ||
| Toca da Janela da Barra do Antoniao, São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí | 300 m (980 ft) | Haplomastodon sp. | |||
| Gruta dos Brejões, Morro do Chapéu, Bahia | 500 m (1,600 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Toca dos Ossos, Ourolândia, Bahia | 770 m (2,530 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Fazenda Suse II, Vitória da Conquista, Bahia | 900 m (3,000 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Janaúba, Minas Gerais | 580 m (1,900 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Gruta do Ingá, Pains, Minas Gerais | 700 m (2,300 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Poté, Minas Gerais | 560 m (1,840 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Lapa do Caetano, Pedro Leopoldo, Minas Gerais | 685 m (2,247 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Lajedo de Escada, Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte | 122 m (400 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi ("= Notiomastodon platensis") | |||
| Caverna do Japonês & Nascente do Formoso, Serra da Bodoquena, Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul | 373 m (1,224 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Picos II, Piranhas, Alagoas | 255 m (837 ft) | Notiomastodon platensis | |||
| Touro Passo Fm. | Touro Passo Creek, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul | 52 m (171 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | ||
| Pleistocene | Aguas do Araxá, Minas Gerais | 973 m (3,192 ft) | Haplomastodon waringi, Stegomastodon waringi | ||
| Inajá Fm. | Inajá, Pernambuco | 355 m (1,165 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | ||
| Lage Grande, Pesqueira, Pernambuco | 740 m (2,430 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi, Notiomastodon vidali | |||
| Roçado & Quixabinha, Petrolândia, Pernambuco | 320 m (1,050 ft) | Haplomastodon sp. | |||
| Santa Cruz do Capibaribe & Panelas, Pernambuco | 440 m (1,440 ft) | Haplomastodon sp. (="Stegomastodon") | |||
| Águas Belas & Santa Maria da Boa Vista, Pernambuco | 360 m (1,180 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | |||
| Lagoa das Pedras, Salgueiro, Pernambuco | 430 m (1,410 ft) | Haplomastodon waringi | |||
| Lagoa Lajinha, Petrolina, Pernambuco | 390 m (1,280 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi "(=H. waringi)" | |||
| Fazenda Nova, Brejo da Madre de Deus, Pernambuco | 470 m (1,540 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. "(=Haplomastodon sp.)", S. waringi , Notiomastodon platensis | |||
| Jirau & João Cativo, Itapipoca, Ceará | 65 m (213 ft) | Notiomastodon platensis | |||
| Taguara/Araras, Nova Mamoré & Porto Velho, Rondônia | 150 m (490 ft) | Notiomastodon platensis | |||
| Sitio Novo, Matina, Bahia | 490 m (1,610 ft) | Notiomastodon platensis | |||
| Vitória da Conquista, Bahia | 950 m (3,120 ft) | Notiomastodon platensis | |||
| Fazenda Caraíba, Coronel João Sá, Bahia | 266 m (873 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi, Notiomastodon platensis | |||
| Serro do Gronda, Espírito Santo | 25 m (82 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Taperoá, Paraíba | 530 m (1,740 ft) | Haplomastodon sp. | |||
| Upper Ribeira, São Paulo | 360 m (1,180 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Tortonian | Solimões Fm. | Río Acre, Acre | 274 m (899 ft) | Amahuacatherium peruvium | |
| Age | Formation | Location | Present elevation | Fossils | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleistocene | Taguatagua, O'Higgins | 206 m (676 ft) | C. hyodon (rev. Stegomastodon sp.) | ||
| Tierras Blancas & Los Vilos, La Ligua, Valparaíso | 943 m (3,094 ft) | C. hyodon (rev. Stegomastodon sp.) | |||
| Parral, Cauquenes, Maule | 150 m (490 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| San Pablo de Tramalhué, Pilauco Bajo, Osorno | 14 m (46 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Río Bueno, Valdivia | 10 m (33 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Paredones & Colchagua | 55 m (180 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Alto de Boroa, Temuco | 131 m (430 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Limahuida, Río Choapa | 282 m (925 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Casablanca | 313 m (1,027 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Chillán | 138 m (453 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Monte Verde | 59 m (194 ft) | C. hyodon (rev. Stegomastodon sp.) | |||
| Lagunillas, Valparaíso | 212 m (696 ft) | cf. hyodon | |||
| Catapilco, La Ligua | 103 m (338 ft) | cf. hyodon | |||
| Marchigüe, Colchagua | 170 m (560 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | |||
| El Trebal 1, Padre Hurtado, Metropolitan Region | 424 m (1,391 ft) | Stegomastodon platensis | |||
| Río Salado 1, Chiu Chiu | 3,012 m (9,882 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | |||
| Quebrada Quereo Fm. | Quereo | 20 m (66 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | ||
| Malloco, Santiago | 482 m (1,581 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | |||
| Algarrobo | 5 m (16 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | |||
| Melipilla | 269 m (883 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | |||
| Cerrillos, Santiago | 516 m (1,693 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | |||
| Chorro de la Vieja, Colchagua | 1,813 m (5,948 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | |||
| Cachagua | 5 m (16 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | |||
| Estero de Coyanco, Laja | 121 m (397 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. | |||
| Pliocene | Las Pozas/Chacabuco | 695 m (2,280 ft) | C. tropicus (rev. Stegomastodon sp.) | ||
| Age | Formation | Location | Present elevation | Fossils | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid to Late Pleistocene | Tablazo Fm. | Río Cañas, Montecristi, Manabí | 100 m (330 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |
| Pleistocene | Imbabura, Imbabura | 3,200 m (10,500 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon (TL) | ||
| Region de La Paz, Carchi | 2,690 m (8,830 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Hacienca Pucará, Carchi | 3,000 m (9,800 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Calderón/Carapungo, Quito, Pichincha | 2,630 m (8,630 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Alangasí, Quito, Pichincha | 2,539 m (8,330 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Punín, Chalán, Chimborazo | 2,994 m (9,823 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Tumbaco, Pichincha | 2,360 m (7,740 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Llano Chico, Quito, Pichincha | 2,610 m (8,560 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Quebrada La Tola, Quito, Pichincha | 2,343 m (7,687 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Checa, Pichincha | 2,520 m (8,270 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| La Carolina, Santa Elena | 5 m (16 ft) | Haplomastodon guayasensis | |||
| Tanque Loma, Santa Elena | 21 m (69 ft) | Gomphotheriidae indet. (cf. N. platensis) | |||
| Quebrada Pistud, Bolívar, Carchi | 2,760 m (9,060 ft) | Haplomastodon chimborazi | |||
| Baños, Cuenca | 2,760 m (9,060 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Age | Formation | Location | Present elevation | Fossils | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleistocene | General Bruguer/Riacho Negro, Presidente Hayes | 55 m (180 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | ||
| Puerto Santa Rosa, San Pedro | 72 m (236 ft) | cf. Notiomastodon | |||
| Age | Formation | Location | Present elevation | Fossils | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Late Pleistocene | La Brea, Talara, Piura | 3 m (9.8 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | ||
| Cupinisque Desert, La Libertad | 2 m (6.6 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | |||
| Ocucaje, Ica | 500 m (1,600 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | |||
| Quebrada El Jahuay, Arequipa | 1 m (3.3 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | |||
| La Huaca, Piura | 17 m (56 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | |||
| Ayusbamba, Cuzco | 3,500 m (11,500 ft) | Cuvieronius hyodon | |||
| Quipan, Canta, Lima | 2,200 m (7,200 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Pasamayo Quarry, Lima | 10 m (33 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |||
| Pleistocene | Sacaco 2, Arequipa | 750 m (2,460 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | ||
| Celendín, Cajamarca | 2,500 m (8,200 ft) | Stegomastodon sp. | |||
| Tortonian | Madre de Dios Fm. | Cerro Colorado, Madre de Dios | 300 m (980 ft) | Amahuacatherium peruvium | |
| Age | Formation | Location | Present elevation | Fossils | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Late Pleistocene | Dolores Fm. | Campo Viñoles, Cerro Largo | 105 m (344 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | |
| Mid to Late Pleistocene | Casil Quarry, Montevideo | 17 m (56 ft) | Stegomastodon waringi | ||
Some authors, Lucas, Mothé, Avilla et al., propose a reclassification of the South American gomphotheres as follows: [3] [4] [5] [6]
Other researchers as Labarca, Prado and Alberdi agree with the placement of species into Notiomastodon, but reject the idea of a single species. They continue to use Stegomastodon waringi for South American gomphotheres from Chile. [90]
Publications are in chronological order, most recent first, because of the advances in taxonomy and research