Ain't no mountain high enough? New records of Notiomastodon platensis (Mammalia, Proboscidea) from Colombia and the Quaternary dry corridor of the Cauca valley

In this study, we present new records of the extinct South American proboscidean Notiomastodon platensis from three new fossiliferous sites in the riverbed of Cauca River, in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The fossil specimens were found in late Pleistocene deposits and include immature to senile Notiomastodon platensis individuals, comprising abundant dental and post-cranial materials. A review of the geographic distribution of the Notiomastodon platensis records in Colombia suggests that this giant mammal used the inter-Andean valleys as migratory corridors, possibly due to the presence of more suitable environmental conditions (lower temperatures and dry-forest) and energy-saving terrains, avoiding more prominent Andean hills. In addition, the Cauca Valley deposits stand out as having palaeontological significance to the comprehension of the late Pleistocene of the western region of South America.

Automated summary

This study presents new records of the extinct Notiomastodon platensis from three new fossil sites in the riverbed of Cauca River, Colombia. The findings suggest that this giant mammal used inter-Andean valleys as migratory corridors, possibly due to more suitable environmental conditions and energy-saving terrains. The Cauca Valley deposits have significant paleontological importance in understanding the late Pleistocene of the western region of South America.