Sobre un molde endocraneano de Proheptaconus patagonicus (Mammalia, Litopterna, Adianthidae) del Oligoceno Tardío del Chubut, Argentina

Abstract

"The endocast of Proheptaconus patagonicus shows three straight longitudinal neocortical sulci on the dorsal aspect of the hemispheres: lateral, ectolateral and suprasylvian, The corono-ansate sulcus is located in front of the three mentioned sulci and represents the caudal limit of the smooth visible part of the frontal lobe. The suprasylvian sulcus is connected with the lateral tip of the corono-ansate sulcus. On the right hemisphere, the lateral sulcus is apparently continuous with the coronal part of the corono-ansate. A gyrus of U form, open caudally, is limited by the lateral, suprasylvian and corono-ansate sulci. The ectosylvian sulcus is located within the U gyrus. This neuromorphological pattern of Proheptaconus patagonicus is shared by the Proterotheriidae, which favors parental affinities between these two families. On the other hand, the known data about the brain of the Macraucheniidae cast doubts about the presence of the same neuromorphological pattern in this family. "