Taxonomia e aspectos paleoambientais de vertebrados fósseis do Lajedo de Soledade, Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte

• Ano de defesa: 2026
• Autor(a) principal: Costa, João Paulo da
• Outros Autores: [e-mail]
• Orientador(a): Araujo Junior, Hermínio Ismael de
• Banca de defesa: Ribeiro, Ana Maria , Scherer, Carolina Saldanha , Oliveira, Édison Vicente , Peralta, Matías Javier , Barcelos, Lucas Almeida
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
• Programa de Pós-Graduação: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências
• Departamento: Centro de Tecnologia e Ciências::Faculdade de Geologia
• País: Brasil
• Palavras-chave em Português: Aves; Anura; Crocodylia; Quelônios; Região Intertropical Brasileira
• Palavras-chave em Inglês: Brazilian Intertropical Region; Crocodylia
• Área do conhecimento CNPq: CIENCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA::GEOCIENCIAS
• Link de acesso: http://www.bdtd.uerj.br/handle/1/25567

Lajedo de Soledade comprises an extensive carbonate platform located in northeastern Brazil, characterized by a set of ravines formed by karstification processes associated with structural fractures. These deposits provide an important record of Quaternary fauna, contributing significantly to the reconstruction of the region’s past aleoenvironmental conditions. The present study aims to describe the taxonomic diversity, estimate the geochronology, and infer the paleoecology of vertebrates collected at the Lajedo de Soledade, contributing to the paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the Quaternary of the Brazilian Intertropical Region. At Ravina das Araras, at least eight avian taxa distributed among six families have been identified, including Rhynchotus rufescens, Zenaida auriculata, Cathartes sp., Buteoninae gen. et sp. indet., Crypturellus sp., Cairina moschata, and cf. Aratinga, constituting an avifaunal diversity that is uncommon in regional Quaternary deposits. The herpetofauna is represented by anurans attributed to the genera cf. Rhinella sp. and cf. Leptodactylus sp., as well as Hylidae gen. et sp. indet.; by crocodilians identified as Caimaninae indet.; and by at least three taxa of Testudines, including a tortoise (Chelonoidis sp.) and two freshwater turtles (Kinosternon scorpioides and Mesoclemmys cf. tuberculata). This assemblage confers upon Ravina das Araras the status of an important Late Quaternary fossil deposit, marked by high vertebrate diversity and complemented by rich mammalian assemblages previously recognized. Additionally, Ravina do Leon expands the faunal record of Lajedo de Soledade through the occurrence of Caimaninae indet. and the extinct cathartid Pleistovultur nevesi. The ichnotaxon Nihilichnus clavus was identified on costal plates of M. cf. tuberculata, expanding the known ichnological record for the Brazilian Quaternary and providing direct evidence of ecological interactions among vertebrates. These traces support the interpretation of a possible predator–prey relationship, likely involving freshwater turtles and caimans, taxa associated with similar aquatic habitats. Geochronological, isotopic, and morphometric data indicate that Pleistovultur nevesi was a large cathartid from the Late Pleistocene, widely distributed across South America. The calibrated age obtained for this individual places it between 34,772 and 36,986 cal yr BP, confirming its coexistence with South American megafauna. The isotopic value (δ13C = −7.6‰) indicates a diet predominantly based on carcasses of herbivores associated with open environments, with a strong contribution from C4 plants, while the estimated body mass (11.2 kg) places the species among the largest known representatives of Cathartidae, within a range comparable to that of large extant condors. The integration of taxonomic, taphonomic, and sedimentological evidence indicates that the fossiliferous layers of Lajedo de Soledade record a dynamic paleoenvironmental mosaic, dominated by open landscapes analogous to dry savannas or open Caatinga formations, interspersed with sectors of greater vegetation cover and temporary aquatic environments.These records reinforce the role of Lajedo de Soledade as an important Quaternary paleoenvironmental archive, essential for understanding the past ecological and environmental dynamics of northeastern Brazil.