First record of Odocoileus virginianus (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) from the Blancan of Sonora, Northwestern Mexico

ABSTRACT

Blancan III or late early Blancan–early late Blancan (3.9–2.6 Ma, Pliocene) cervid remains are described from alluvial deposits of the locality Los Hornitos, northeastern Sonora, northwestern Mexico. These remains include antlers, teeth, a mandible fragment, and other several postcranial elements. These Sonoran Blancan fossil cervid elements constitute the second most abundant group of the mammalian assemblage after the equids in the studied area. The morphometric comparative study with Pliocene and Pleistocene cervid material from United States and Mexico together with statistical analyses (bivariate and multivariate), indicate that herein described material correspond to the species Odocoileus virginianus. This is the first record of this medium-sized deer from the Blancan of Sonora and the earliest unequivocal record to Mexico.

KEYWORDS:

• Systematics
• cervids
• Pliocene
• North America

Acknowledgments

We appreciate the comments of the two anonymous reviewers that greatly improved the final version of the manuscript. This paper integrates part of the doctoral dissertation of AP-R in Biodiversity and Conservation at UAEH with the scholarship from CONAHCyT (313162), Mexico. We want to express warm thanks to Luis Francisco López Alday, Jorge López Alday, Roy David Clinch Armenta, and José Jorge Húmar Arreola for their invaluable help and hospitality during the fieldwork in the study area. This investigation is part of the project “Reconstrucción paleoambiental de un paleolago del Cenozoico tardío al noroeste de Sonora” (PAPIIT-DGAPA-UNAM, No. IN109821).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Scholarship Student CONAHCyT [313162]; PAPIIT-DGAPA-UNAM [IN109821].