Mamíferos do Pleistoceno Superior de Afrânio, Pernambuco, nordeste do Brasil Mammals from Upper Pleistocene of Afrânio, Pernambuco, northeast of Brazil

Pleistocene mammals are frequently found in the northeastern region of Brazil. In general the fossils occur in tanks, lagoons, fluvial terrains, caves and ravines. In the state of Pernambuco, pleistocene mammals happen to occur in 38 municipalities. In this work, taxonomic and taphonomic aspects of paleofauna – which was found preserved in the lagoons from Caboclo bay, tributary of Sao Francisco river, Afranio, Pernambuco, Brazil - were studied. Research involved cartographic and bibliographic survey, besides field and laboratorial work. More than 1.250 bones, teeth and osteoderms were studied. The fossiliferous association is monotypical, polispecific to the fragmentation and with damage degree with variations in 4 classes. The bones were preserved by conservation of the original chemical composition, permineralization and calcite and magnesian calcite substitution. A diversified fauna was identified distributed in five orders: Tardigrada, Cingulata, Notoungulata, Proboscidea and Perissodactyla, seven families: Megatheriidae, Mylodontidae, Dasypodidae, Glyptodontidae, Toxodontidae, Gomphotheriidae e Equidae, with the following taxa: Eremotherium laurillardi, Mylodonopsis ibseni, Panochthus greslebini, Holmesina paulacoutoi, Hoplophorus euphractus, Stegomastodon waringi, Toxodon platensis, undetermined equid and gliptodontid. It was registered for the first time in the state of Pernambuco the genera Hoplophorus and Mylodonopsis. The paleofauna is predominantly herbivorous, from a savannah paleoenvironment or sparse bushy and forested vegetation areas. Ages of Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) of deposited sediments, in upper layers was estimated an age older than 11.300±2.000 years for the last megafauna occupation phase in the region.