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Data from: First 87Sr/86Sr Isotope data for the extinct sloth Lestodon armatus: Insights into the spatial ecology of South American Late Pleistocene Megafauna

Varela, Luciano1; Fariña, Richard1

Published May 28, 2025 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4qrfj6qpc

Data files

May 28, 2025 version files 104.77 MB

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Abstract

This dataset provides comprehensive data for understanding the spatial ecology of the extinct giant ground sloth, Lestodon armatus, during the Late Pleistocene in Uruguay, South America. The research context focuses on elucidating mobility patterns and landscape use of this species through strontium isotope analysis. The dataset includes raw 87Sr/86Sr isotope values obtained from L. armatus bone and dentin samples collected from six distinct localities in Uruguay, including data from six individuals and serial sampling of one tooth from one of the sampled sites. Users can utilize these data to replicate the findings of Varela & Fariña (2025), which showed highly localized 87Sr/86Sr signatures, suggesting limited movement and defined home ranges for this species, and ruled out extensive seasonal migrations.

Included are all 87Sr/86Sr isotope data and the R script (script.R) used for statistical analysis, generation of figures, probability-of-origin surfaces, and home range estimations presented in the original study. Also, the dataset contains habitat suitability and resistivity raster files, as well as a .ini configuration file for executing the Omniscape analysis in Julia to explore landscape connectivity in southern Uruguay during the Last Glacial Maximum.

This dataset offers a valuable resource for researchers studying Quaternary paleoecology, megafauna mobility, isotope geochemistry, and landscape connectivity, providing a baseline for the spatial ecology of South American megamammals.