Late Pleistocene Deer in the Region of the National Park “Serra da Capivara” (Piauí, Brazil)

A groundbreaking discovery in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Serra da Capivara National Park, Piauí, Brazil, reveals the presence of two deer species during the Late Pleistocene epoch. Fossil analysis from the Lagoa dos Porcos deposit identified a small deer (genus Mazama) and a larger, previously unrecorded species in the region, Morenelaphus sp. This marks the first documentation of Morenelaphus in Piauí State, significantly expanding its known paleogeographic distribution. The study also highlights ecological distinctions between cervid fauna in the park's karstic areas and the alluvial plain of Lagoa dos Porcos, offering new insights into Pleistocene biodiversity patterns in northeastern Brazil.

Valli, A. (2018). Late Pleistocene Deer in the Region of the National Park “Serra da Capivara” (Piauí, Brazil). Quaternary, 1(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat1010004