DOI: 10.5061/dryad.ghx3ffc08
title: Data from: Evaluating migration hypotheses for the extinct Glyptotherium using Ecological Niche Modeling

description: The formation of the Isthmus of Panama allowed for migrations between the
 once separated continents of North and South America. This led to one of
 the greatest documented interchanges of biota in Earth history, wherein an
 array of species across many groups migrated between the continents.
 Glyptotherium, a giant extinct armadillo-like grazer, is an example of a
 taxon that likely originated in South America and migrated to North
 America. Here we use Ecological Niche Modeling to test the extent of
 suitable conditions for Glyptotherium in Central America and surrounding
 regions during the intervals when the taxa is thought to have dispersed,
 allowing for assessment of plausible migration routes and the hypothesis
 that the genus migrated from North America back to South America during
 the Rancholabrean (14,000 to 240,000 years ago). Our niche modeling
 results show suitable abiotic conditions for Glyptotherium in Central
 America and the surrounding area throughout the Plio-Pleistocene, with
 western South America (the “high road”) suggested as their ancestors’
 route northwards. Depending on the extent of suitable conditions, it may
 have been possible for Glyptotherium to return to South America during the
 Rancholabrean. The results support previous hypotheses that the range of
 Glyptotherium was constrained by the need for warm, wet environments.
description: Occurrence data for <em>Glyptotherium </em>were
 obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF; accessed
 08/17/2021) and the Paleobiology Database (PBDB) (Uhen et al. 2023). These
 records were supplemented from the literature, primarily concentrating on
 Central and South America. We identified 17 new records that were entered
 into the PBDB. We also entered a GBIF record that had not yet been entered
 into the PBDB. The final access of the PBDB was on 07/18/2023. After we
 completed data collection, an additional record of
 <em>Glyptotherium</em> was published (Cuadrelli et al.
 2023).
description: # Evaluating migration hypotheses for the extinct *Glyptotherium* using
 Ecological Niche Modeling
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ghx3ffc08](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ghx3ffc08) Data license: CC0 ## Description of the data and file structure **Rancholabrean.csv:** training data for the Rancholabrean Species: name of the species for use in maxent LONG: longitude in decimal degrees LAT: latitude in decimal degrees **Rancholabrean_Brazil.csv:** independent test data from the Rancholabrean of Brazil Species: name of the species for use in maxent LONG: longitude in decimal degrees LAT: latitude in decimal degrees **Late_Blancan.csv:** Late Blancan data points Species: name of the species for use in maxent LONG: longitude in decimal degrees LAT: latitude in decimal degrees **Middle_Blancan.csv:** Middle Blancan data points Species: name of the species for use in maxent LONG: longitude in decimal degrees LAT: latitude in decimal degrees ## Code/software All analyses were performed in R v.4.2.2. Our code can be accessed at: [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14429043](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14429043)