A marsupial assemblage (Mammalia, Didelphimorphia) from the Quaternary of the Serra Da Capivara, State of Piauí, Brazil

Researchers uncovered six species of didelphid marsupials from four Quaternary sites within Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil, marking new fossil records for the region. The study identified Monodelphis domestica, M. americana, Didelphis albiventris, Cryptonanus agricolai, Gracilinanus agilis, and Thylamys karimii through analysis of fragmented jaw fossils. While megafauna suggested a Pleistocene age, radiocarbon dating revealed Holocene ages (5,550–1,670 years BP), indicating temporal mixing in the sites. All identified taxa persist today in the Caatinga biome, implying taxonomic stability since at least the Middle Holocene. The findings highlight didelphids' utility as paleoenvironmental indicators and contribute to understanding Quaternary mammal assemblages in northeastern Brazil.

Motta, F. A., Hadler, P., Cherem, J. J., & Ribeiro, A. M. (2019). A marsupial assemblage (Mammalia, Didelphimorphia) from the Quaternary of the Serra Da Capivara, State of Piauí, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Paleontologia, 22(3), 225–239. https://doi.org/10.4072/rbp.2019.3.05