Tarija Formation

Tarija
Type	Formation
Location
Coordinates	-21.5,-64.75
Approximate paleocoordinates	-21.6,-64.2
Country	Bolivia
Type section
Named for	Tarija

The Tarija Formation is a Pleistocene-age geologic formation found near Tarija, Bolivia.

Background

Fossils of numerous large herbivorous mammals have been discovered, including toxodonts like Toxodon platensis , glyptodonts, ground sloths, and litopterns such as Macrauchenia patachonica . ^[1] Numerous carnivorous mammals have been found, including Smilodon populator , Arctotherium tarijense, and Protocyon tarijensis. ^[2]

Paleofauna

Birds

Accipitriformes

Accipitriformes
Genus	Species	Family	Interval	Notes
Vultur	V. gryphus	Cathartidae	Tarija [3]	Andean Condor

Mammals

Didelphimorphia

Accipitriformes
Genus	Species	Family	Interval	Notes
Lutreolina	L. crassicaudata	Didelphidae	Tarija [3]	Big lutrine opossum

Cingulata

Cingulata
Genus	Species	Family	Interval	Notes
Euphractus	E. sexcinctus	Chlamyphoridae	Tarija <Tarija [3]	Six-Banded Armadillo
Chaetophractus	C. villosus	Chlamyphoridae	Tarija [3]	Big Hairy Armadillo
Dasypus	D. tarijensis	Dasypodidae	Tarija [3]
Propraopus	P. cf. sulcatus	Dasypodidae	Tarija [3]
Glyptodon	G. reticulatus	Glyptodontidae	Tarija [3]		Glyptodon life restoration
Panochthus	P. sp	Glyptodontidae	Tarija [3]
Pampatherium	P. cf. humboldtii	Pampatheriidae	Tarija [3]

Proboscidea

Proboscidea
Genus	Species	Family	Interval	Notes	Images
Cuvieronius	C. tropicus	Gomphotheriidae	Tarija [3]		Cuvieronius hyodon

Carnivorans

Carnivora
Genus	Species	Family	Interval	Notes
Pseudalopex	P. gymnocercus	Canidae	Tarija [3]	Pampas Fox
Aenocyon	A.dirus	Canidae	Tarija [3]	Dire wolf
Chrysocyon	C. brachyurus	Canidae	Tarija [3]	Maned wolf
Protocyon	P.troglodytes	Canidae	Tarija [3]
Nasua	N.sp	Procyonidae	Tarija [3]		A modern Nasua
Arctotherium	A.wingei	Ursidae	Tarija [3]
	A. tarijense	Ursidae	Tarija [3]
Conepatus	C.suffocans	Mephitidae	Tarija [3]	An extinct hog-nosed skunk
Smilodon	S.populator	Felidae	Tarija [3]	Saber-toothed cat	Restoration of the smilodon
Panthera	P. onca	Felidae	Tarija [3]	Jaguar	Jaguar (Panthera onca) swimming
Herpailurus	H. yagouaroundi	Felidae	Tarija [3]	Jaguarundi

Artiodactyla

Artiodactyla
Genus	Species	Family	Interval	Notes	Images
Platygonus	P. tarijensis.	Tayassuidae	Tarija [3]
Charitoceros	C. tarijensis.	Cervidae	Tarija [3]
Hippocamelus	H. incognituss.	Cervidae	Tarija [3]		A Huemul, a living member of Hippocampus
Paleolama	P. weddeli.	Camelidae	Tarija [3]	Paleolama.
Lama	L. provicugna	Camelidae	Tarija [3]	The Vicuña, a modern species of Llama	Group of vicuña in Arequipa Region, Peru

Meridiungulata

South American native ungulates
Genus	Species	Family	Interval	Notes	Images
Macrauchenia	M. patachonica.	Macraucheniidae	Tarija [3]		Reconstruction of Macrauchenia patachonica running.
Toxodon	T cf. platensis.	Toxodontidae	Tarija [3]		Toxodon, London Natural History Museum

Perissodactyla

Perissodactyla
Genus	Species	Family	Interval	Notes	Images
Tapirus	T. tarijensis	Tapiridae	Tarija [3]
Hippidion	H. principale	Equidae	Tarija [3]	A browsing horse	Onohippidium reconstruction
	H. devillei	Equidae	Tarija [3]
Equus	E. neogeus	Equidae	Tarija [3]

References

1. MacFadden, B.J.; Shockey, B.J. (2016). "Ancient feeding ecology and niche differentiation of Pleistocene mammalian herbivores from Tarija, Bolivia: morphological and isotopic evidence". Paleobiology. 23 (1): 77-100. doi:10.1017/S0094837300016651 . Retrieved 27 November 2023.
2. Prevosti, F.J.; Forasiepi, A.M. (2018). "South American Fossil Carnivorans (Order Carnivora)". Evolution of South American Mammalian Predators During the Cenozoic: Paleobiogeographic and Paleoenvironmental Contingencies. Springer Geology: 77-100. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-03701-1_4. ISBN   978-3-319-03700-4 . Retrieved 27 November 2023.