Miocene Edentata Xenarthra of La Venta (Colombia) I Dasypodoidea and Glyptodontoidea

Abstract

 In the abundant Míocenic faune of "La Venta" (Colombia) it is Important to bring out the presence of Edentates. In this work only are discussed the Dasypodoidea and the Glyptodontoidea respectively represented by Kraglievichia pararlensis (Ameghino), Asterostemma eI. venezolensis Simpson and Propalaehoplophorus sp. These forms are found in almost the whole 700 metres thickness stratigraphic levels of the Croup Honda in La Venta (Stirton, 1953 y Fields, 1959). The morphology and size of the plates are individually variable characters related to the position inside the carapace. The existence of a gradual variation in these characters difficult the separation among genres and species when dealing with isolted plates. The validity of some genres based in the plates is questionable. It looks like and excessive grinding was produced and it is necessary a review of these families.