SIGMODONTINE RODENTS (RODENTIA, CRICETIDAE) FROM QUATERNARY CAVE DEPOSITS OF SERRA DA CAPIVARA, NORTH EASTERN BRAZIL

The Sam da Capivara National Park, State of Piaui, Brazil, and surrounding areas preserves a rich archeological and paleontological record of South American mammals. It includes a great amount of sigmodontine rodent remains recovered from limestone caves and rock shelters. We studied sigmodontine material from three caves, named Toca do Gordo do Ganincho, Toca do Barrigudo, and Toca do Serrote das Moendas, and identified the following taxa: Bibimys sp., Necromys lasiurus, Pseudoryzomys simplex, Holochilus sciutrus,Certvdomys sp., Calomys sp., and Wiedomys sp. This is the first record of Bibimys for the Quaternary of northeast Brazil, which suggests that the paleobiogeographic distribution of this genus was different from its currently known range. Thus, we contribute to the knowledge of Quaternary sigmodontine rodents through these new taxonomic records and highlight the great potential of Sara da Capivara paleontological deposits for clarifying the biogeographic dynamics of this group during this period.