New record of Puma concolor Linnaeus, 1771 (Carnivora, Felidae) for the Late Pleistocene of Urguay and its paleoecological significance

Abstract

Felidae entered South America from North America during the Ensenadan Stage/Age (Early to Middle Pleistocene). For Uruguay their fossil record is scarce but informative, although mostly correspond to large felids (Smilodon, Panthera onca). In this work describes fossil remain of a skull and a mandible assigned, based on morphology and statistical analysis, to Puma concolor. These materials were unearthed from Late Pleistocene sediments (Sopas Formation) from northern Uruguay. Based on these remains some paleobiological and
paleoecological aspects are discussed. This specimen had a body mass of about 45 kg, with the potential capacity to hunt animals over 200 kg, which is in agreement with previous reports for other fossil puma remains. During Late Pleistocene, in the current territory of Uruguay, Puma concolor would have shared ecological niche with other large carnivore such as sabre-tooth cats (Smilodon populator, S. fatalis), the jaguar Panthera onca, the canid Protocyon troglodytes, and short-faced bears Arctotherium, feeding upon medium-sized animals in diverse environment.