Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 80 (2): 157-171, 2007
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Late Pleistocene Hippidion saldiasi Roth, 1899 (Mammalia, Perissodactyla) from
Calama, northern Chile
MARÍA TERESA ALBERDI, JOSÉ LUIS PRADO, PATRICIO LÓPEZ, RAFAEL LABARCA & ISMAEL
This paper describes the Hippidion bones recovered from the Atacama
Desert (Calama, Second Region of Chile). The analyzed assemblage corresponds to a nearly complete skeleton from Betecsa 1 site
and more poorly preserved remains from Kamac Mayu site. In both H. saldiasi is identified. Two
<sup>14</sup>C radiometric determinations indicate late Pleistocene age for these remains (21,070 ± 100 BP and 21,380 ±
100 BP). Environmental and diet inferences from stable isotope analysis are also presented. The δ<sup>13</sup>C value
from Betecsa 1 horses (-15.45 from bone sample and -16.68 from enamel sample) suggest a dietary adaptation exclusively
C<sub>3</sub> feeders. This is the first skull and associated skeleton recovered of this species.
Hippidion
saldiasi, Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Pleistocene, Chile
