Juchuysillu arenalesensis

Juchuysillu arenalesensis (Juchuysillu arenalesensis (Croft & Anaya, 2020))

 

Order: †Notoungulata

Family: †Interatheriidae

Temporal range: inhabiting South America during the Miocene (~ 16~15 Ma)

Dimensions: length - 60 cm, weight - 1-2 kg

 

 

Juchuysillu arenalesensis is distinguished by its very small size. A phylogenetic analysis indicates that this animal represents a unique lineage within Interatheriinae. J. arenalesensis is one of two small  typotheres at Nazareno Formation (southern Bolivia); its body mass is estimated at 1.1 kg. An updated faunal list for the Nazareno Formation includes 19 species of mammals pertaining to seven orders and 15 families; fragmentary turtle and bird (Phorusrhacidae) remains are also present. The precise age of Nazareno Formation vertebrates is unknown, but the presence of at least three notoungulate species shared with Cerdas suggests a similar (~16–15 Ma) age for the fossil-bearing levels.