MACROCHOROBATES SCALABRINII (MORENO & MERCERAT) (CINGULATA, DASYPODIDAE) IN THE LATE MIOCENE OF THE SAN JUAN PROVINCE (ARGENTINA). BIOCHRONOSTRATIGRAPHICAL AND PALAEOBIOGEOGRAPHICAL IMPLICATIONS

Isolated osteoderms of the dorsal carapace of the dasypodid Macrochorobates scalabrinii (Moreno & Mercerat) are described. The remains come from the upper deposits of the Las Flores Formation (Upper Miocene), outcropping at the Iglesia Valley (Iglesia Department, San Juan Province, Argentina). The detailed study of these osteoderms, including the description of some features not mentioned before, provides novel information about the carapace that may potentially be important for the diagnosis of this taxon. The stratigraphic and chronological distribution would support the importance of M scalabrinii as a biostratigraphic indicator for the Huayquerian Stage/Age. This new discovery confirms previous hypothesis of a biogeographic connection between the Pampean and Northwest regions during the late Miocene.