Paleoburrow

Last updated

A paleoburrow is an underground shelter excavated by extinct paleo-vertebrate megafauna that lived in the prehistoric era. [1] [2] [3] Most paleoburrows are likely made by giant armadillos and giant ground sloths, depending on their size. [4] Thousands of examples have been identified across South America, mostly in the Brazilian states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. [4]

Contents

The first paleoburrow was discovered in Rondonia by Amilcar Adamy in 2010. [5] Paleoburrows, often exposed by development, are threatened by construction and degradation from rain and the elements. [4] Researchers from several Brazilian universities have formed the Paleoburrows Project to raise awareness about their existence, and fight misinformation. [4] [6]

Description

Thousands of sites characterized as paleoburrows have been found across South America, [4] such as in Ponta do Abunã, in Rondônia, within the Amazon region, [7] in the Serra do Gandarela National Park, in Minas Gerais, [8] in Monte Bonito, the southern Rio Grande, [9] as well as the Toca do Tatu in Santa Catarina. [10]

After the extinction of the megafauna about 10,000 years ago, some paleoburrows were reused by indigenous human populations. Recent searches indicate that these structures were used as temporary shelters as well as for ritual purposes. In the interior of some paleoburrows, researchers discovered stone tools, ceramic artifacts, human burials, and inscriptions engraved in the walls.[ citation needed ]

Paleoburrows are classified as paleontological sites; however, if the remains of ancient populations are also found, the site may become the object of research for both paleontologists and archaeologists. [11] [12]

Paleoburrows dug by giant ground sloths often have large claw marks along the walls. [4] Many paleoburrows are exposed by local development, but subsequently eventually destroyed by rain, the elements, or construction. [4]

Paleoburrows are sometimes enlarged by erosion. [5] One of the largest reaches 2,000 feet in length over all of its branching tunnels, originally over 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. [5] It was made by many animals over generations. [5]

The exact animals which dug the largest burrows, up to 5 feet in diameter, are debated. [5] One group of scientists, including Heinrich Frank, believe that they were dug by giant ground sloths, possibly Catonyx, Glossotherium, or Lestodon. [5] Another group believes that even the largest burrows are attributable to extinct armadillos like Pampatherium, Holmesina or Propraopus, even though they were smaller than the sloths. [5]

It is unclear why the burrows were dug to their large sizes. [5] Whether the burrows were dug by giant armadillos or giant sloths, they are much larger than would be necessary. [5]

Crotovina

Paleoburrows filled with sediments, deposited over the centuries through rainfall and accumulated due to the porosity of the terrain, are called crotovina. Generally, fossils found in crotovinas exhibit large proportions similar to known megafauna of their geological period. [13] [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armadillo</span> New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata

Armadillos are New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata. They form part of the superorder Xenarthra, along with the anteaters and sloths. 21 extant species of armadillo have been described, some of which are distinguished by the number of bands on their armor. All species are native to the Americas, where they inhabit a variety of different environments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xenarthra</span> Superorder of mammals including anteaters, sloths, and armadillos

Xenarthra is a major clade of placental mammals native to the Americas. There are 31 living species: the anteaters, tree sloths, and armadillos. Extinct xenarthrans include the glyptodonts, pampatheres and ground sloths. Xenarthrans originated in South America during the late Paleocene about 60 million years ago. They evolved and diversified extensively in South America during the continent's long period of isolation in the early to mid Cenozoic Era. They spread to the Antilles by the early Miocene and, starting about 3 million years ago, spread to Central and North America as part of the Great American Interchange. Nearly all of the formerly abundant megafaunal xenarthrans became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene.

<i>Megatherium</i> Genus of ground sloth (extinct)

Megatherium is an extinct genus of ground sloths endemic to South America that lived from the Early Pliocene through the end of the Pleistocene. It is best known for the elephant-sized type species Megatherium americanum, native to the Pampas through southern Bolivia during the Pleistocene. Various other species belonging to the subgenus Pseudomegatherium ranging in size comparable to considerably smaller than M. americanum are known from the Andean region.

<i>Mylodon</i> An extinct genus of ground sloths

Mylodon is a genus of extinct ground sloth belonging to the family Mylodontidae, known from southern South America. With a total length of 3 to 4 m and a body mass of 1-2 tonnes, it is one of the largest mylodontids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ground sloth</span> Diverse group of extinct sloth species

Ground sloths are a diverse group of extinct sloths in the mammalian superorder Xenarthra. They varied widely in size with the largest, belonging to genera Lestodon, Eremotherium and Megatherium, being around the size of elephants. Ground sloths represent a paraphyletic group, as living tree sloths are thought to have evolved from ground sloth ancestors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pampas</span> South American lowlands

The Pampas are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than 1,200,000 square kilometres (460,000 sq mi) and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all of Uruguay; and Brazil's southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul. The vast plains are a natural region, interrupted only by the low Ventana and Tandil hills, near Bahía Blanca and Tandil (Argentina), with a height of 1,300 m (4,265 ft) and 500 m (1,640 ft), respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant armadillo</span> Species of mammals belonging to the armadillo order of xenarthrans

The giant armadillo, colloquially tatu-canastra, tatou, ocarro or tatú carreta, is the largest living species of armadillo. It lives in South America, ranging throughout as far south as northern Argentina. This species is considered vulnerable to extinction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Six-banded armadillo</span> Species of mammals belonging to the armadillo order of xenarthrans

The six-banded armadillo, also known as the yellow armadillo, is an armadillo found in South America. The sole extant member of its genus, it was first described by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. The six-banded armadillo is typically between 40 and 50 centimeters in head-and-body length, and weighs 3.2 to 6.5 kilograms. The carapace is pale yellow to reddish brown, marked by scales of equal length, and scantily covered by buff to white bristle-like hairs. The forefeet have five distinct toes, each with moderately developed claws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nine-banded armadillo</span> Species of armadillo native to the Americas

The nine-banded armadillo, also called the nine-banded long-nosed armadillo or common long-nosed armadillo, is a species of armadillo native to North, Central, and South America, making it the most widespread of the armadillos.

<i>Doedicurus</i> An extinct genus of mammals belonging to the armadillo order, Cingulata

Doedicurus is an extinct genus of glyptodont from North and South America containing one species, D. clavicaudatus. Glyptodonts are a member of the family Chlamyphoridae, which also includes some modern armadillo species, and they are classified in the superorder Xenarthra alongside sloths and anteaters. Being a glyptodont, it was a rotund animal with heavy armor and a carapace. Averaging at an approximate 1,400 kg (3,100 lb), it was one of the largest glyptodonts to have ever lived. Though glyptodonts were quadrupeds, large ones like Doedicurus may have been able to stand on two legs like other xenarthrans. It notably sported a spiked tail club, which may have weighed 40 or 65 kg in life, and it may have swung this in defense against predators or in fights with other Doedicurus at speeds of perhaps 11 m/s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andean hairy armadillo</span> Species of mammal

The Andean hairy armadillo is an armadillo found mainly in Bolivia, in the region of the Puna; the departments of Oruro, La Paz, and Cochabamba. Nowark (1991) describes it as distributed in Bolivia and northern Chile. A recent publication of Pacheco (1995) also locates the species in the Puno Region of Peru. This species is also thought to be present in northern Argentina. However, this location may actually only contain a population of C. vellerosus.

<i>Ornimegalonyx</i> Extinct genus of owl

The giant Cuban owl or giant cursorial owl (Ornimegalonyx) is an extinct genus of giant owl that measured 1.1 metres in height. It is closely related to the many species of living owls of the genus Strix. It was a flightless or nearly flightless bird and it is believed to be the largest owl that ever existed. It lived on the island of Cuba.

<i>Eremotherium</i> Extinct genus of giant ground sloth

Eremotherium is an extinct genus of giant ground sloth in the family Megatheriidae. Eremotherium lived in southern North America, Central America, and northern South America from the Pliocene, around 5.3 million years ago, to the end of the Late Pleistocene, around 10,000 years ago. Eremotherium was one of the largest ground sloths, with a body size comparable to elephants, weighing around 4–6.5 tonnes and measuring about 6 metres (20 ft) long, slightly larger than its close relative Megatherium.

<i>Glyptodon</i> Genus of large, heavily armored mammals

Glyptodon is a genus of glyptodont, an extinct group of large, herbivorous armadillos, that lived from the Pliocene, around 3.2 million years ago, to the early Holocene, around 11,000 years ago, in South America. It is one of, if not the, best known genus of glyptodont. Glyptodon has a long and storied past, being the first named extinct cingulate and the type genus of the subfamily Glyptodontinae. Fossils of Glyptodon have been recorded as early as 1814 from Pleistocene aged deposits from Uruguay, though many were incorrectly referred to the ground sloth Megatherium by early paleontologists.

<i>Trucidocynodon</i> Extinct genus of cynodonts

Trucidocynodon is an extinct genus of ecteniniid cynodonts from the Upper Triassic (Carnian) of Brazil. It contains a single species, Trucidocynodon riograndensis. Fossils of Trucidocynodon were discovered in outcrops of the Upper Santa Maria Formation in Paleorrota Geopark, Agudo. Trucidocynodon is one of the most completely known Triassic cynodonts, as its holotype is a nearly complete and fully articulated skeleton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 in Brazil</span> Brazil-related events during the year of 2001

Events in the year 2001 in Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 in Brazil</span> Brazil-related events during the year of 1990

Events in the year 1990 in Brazil.

<i>Valgipes</i> Extinct genus of ground sloths

Valgipes is an extinct genus of scelidotheriid ground sloth, endemic to intertropical Brazil and Uruguay during the Late Pleistocene. Thought to have been a forest-dwelling browser, Valgipes is a monotypic genus with a complex and long taxonomic history, and is a close relative of Catonyx and Proscelidodon.

KaBuM! is a Brazilian e-commerce company specializing in electronics and information technology. It was founded in May 2003 in the city of Limeira, São Paulo, by brothers Leandro Ramos and Thiago Ramos. The company is one of the largest of its kind in Brazil, and sells a wide variety of products in addition to electronics, including automotive electronics, cosmetics, perfume, and musical instruments.

Joelison Fernandes da Silva is a Brazilian Sitting volleyball player and he has been recognized as the tallest man in Brazil, measuring 2.37 meters tall and weighing 169 kilograms.

References

  1. II Congresso sobre Planejamento e Gestão das Zonas Costeiras dos Países de Expressão Portuguesa UFRGS - agosto/2015
  2. ANAIS do 31º Congresso Brasileiro de Espeleologia Cavernas.org - agosto/2015
  3. Jenner, Andrew (March 28, 2017). "Get Lost in Mega-Tunnels Dug by South American Megafauna". Discover. Kalmbach. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fox, Michael (13 April 2021). "Get a glimpse of southern Brazil's paleoburrows — dug by prehistoric animals". The World.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Jenner, Andrew (28 March 2017). "Get Lost in Mega-Tunnels Dug by South American Megafauna". Discover Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  6. "English Abstract". Paleoburrows Project. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  7. Caverna escavada por mamíferos gigantes é descoberta na Amazônia O Globo- agosto/2015
  8. Parque Nacional é criado em Minas Gerais, mas deixa área de Mata Atlântica desprotegida Rede Sustentabilidade.org- agosto/2015
  9. O protagonista: um tatu gigante Boletim BR 116 - agosto/2015
  10. "Revista Espeleotema" (PDF). 2012.
  11. VICROSKI, Fabricio J. Nazzari; FRANK, Heinrich Theodor (2013). "A Problemática das Galerias Subterrâneas na Arqueologia do Sul do Brasil". Anais Eletrônicos do II Congresso Internacional de História Regional.
  12. AZEVEDO, Leonardo Waisman de Azevedo; COPÉ, Silvia Moehlecke. "A Gênese das Galerias Subterrâneas no Planalto Sul-Brasileiro". Revista de Arqueologia. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
  13. Casa de preguiça Archived 2015-05-15 at the Wayback Machine Ciência Hoje - agosto/2015
  14. Paleotocas, Crotovinas e Abrigos Subterrâneos Projeto Paleotoca - UFRGS - agosto/2015

Further reading