 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(June 2022) |
| Archaeogaia | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | † Notoungulata |
| Genus: | † Archaeogaia Zimicz et al, 2020 |
| Type species | |
| Archaeogaia macachaae Zimicz et al, 2020 | |
Archaeogaia is an extinct genus of notoungulates that lived during the Early and Middle Paleocene of what is now Argentina. It is one of the oldest known unequivocal notoungulates.
This animal is only known from a fragmentary left mandible preserving three molars. Archaeogaia was characterized by a first molar slightly shorter than the second, both being larger than the third, all of them being low-crowned (brachydont); a talonid shorter than the trigonid, a metaconid distally positioned and taller than the protoconid, a reduced paraconid on the second molar, a straight metalophid on the second and third molar (running mesially to form an obtuse angle in the labial margin on the second molar, and more traversally on the third), a transversal entoloph, a mesial cingulid extending from the medial area to the lingual area on the molars, and a distal cingulid connected with the hypoconulid with the mesial surface of the entoconid on the second and third molars. [1]
Archaeogaia macachaae was first described in 2020, based on a single fossil from the Mealla Formation, in the Salta Province of Argentina. Due to the presence of a transversal entolophid and to features of the protolophid, metalophid and hypolophid, Archaeogaia is considered a member of the Notoungulata. It is however unclear which phylogenetic position it occupied within the group, due to the extreme fragmentation and to the plesiomorphic characteristics of the holotype fossil. Archaeogaia is considered to be the oldest known notoungulate, perhaps along the better known Henricosborniidae Simpsonotus . [1]
Notoungulata is an extinct order of mammalian ungulates that inhabited South America from the early Paleocene to the Holocene, living from approximately 61 million to 11,000 years ago. Notoungulates were morphologically diverse, with forms resembling animals as disparate as rabbits and rhinoceroses. Notoungulata are the largest group of South American native ungulates, with over 150 genera in 14 families having been described, divided into two major subgroupings, Typotheria and Toxodontia. Notoungulates first diversified during the Eocene. Their diversity declined during the Late Neogene, with only the large toxodontids persisting until the end of the Pleistocene. Collagen analysis suggests that notoungulates are closely related to litopterns, another group of South American ungulates, and their closest living relatives being perissodactyls, including rhinoceroses, tapirs and equines. but their relationships to other South American ungulates are uncertain. Several groups of notoungulates separately evolved ever growing teeth like rodents and lagomorphs, a distinction among ungulates only shared with Elasmotherium.
Pyrotherium is an extinct genus of South American ungulate, of the order Pyrotheria, that lived in what is now Argentina and Bolivia, during the Late Oligocene. It was named Pyrotherium because the first specimens were excavated from an ancient volcanic ash deposit. Fossils of the genus have been found in the Deseado and Sarmiento Formations of Argentina and the Salla Formation of Bolivia.
Protypotherium is an extinct genus of notoungulate mammals native to South America during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs. A number of closely related animals date back further, to the Eocene. Fossils of Protypotherium have been found in the Deseadan Fray Bentos Formation of Uruguay, Muyu Huasi and Nazareno Formations of Bolivia, Cura-Mallín and Río Frías Formations of Chile, and Santa Cruz, Salicas, Ituzaingó, Aisol, Cerro Azul, Cerro Bandera, Cerro Boleadoras, Chichinales, Sarmiento and Collón Curá Formations of Argentina.
Henricosborniidae is a family of extinct notoungulate mammals known from the Late Paleocene to Middle Eocene of Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil. The name honors U.S. paleontologist Henry Fairfield Osborn.
The Mealla Formation is a geological formation of the Santa Bárbara Subgroup, part of the Salta Group in the Salta Basin in northwestern Argentina whose strata date back to the Middle to Late Paleocene of the Paleogene.
Simpsonotus is an extinct genus of notoungulate mammals in the family Henricosborniidae from the Middle to Late Paleocene of South America. Fossils of the genus have been found in the Mealla Formation, a fluvial and lacustrine sedimentary unit of the Salta Basin in northwestern Argentina. The genus name honors paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson.
Paedotherium is an extinct, potentially paraphyletic genus of Notoungulate, belonging to the family Hegetotheriidae, composed of small-sized, rodent or lagomorph-like South American ungulates. Four species are unambiguously recognized, from the Late Miocene to the Pleistocene of Argentina, and from the late Miocene of Bolivia and Chile.
Notoetayoa is an extinct genus of mammal, from the order Xenungulata. It contains a single species, Notoetayoa gargantuai, which lived during the Middle Paleocene. Its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Rodcania is an extinct genus of mammal, belonging to the order Xenungulata. It contains a single species, Rodcania kakan, which lived during the Paleocene. Its remains were found in South America. The genus name is an anagram of Carodnia.
Henricosbornia is an extinct genus of henricosborniid notoungulate that lived from the Late Paleocene to the Middle Eocene of what is now Argentina and Brazil.
Ethegotherium is an extinct genus of Notoungulates, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived from the Lower to the Middle Miocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America. It might be a synonym of the genus Prohegetotherium.
Hemihegetotherium is an extinct genus of hegetotheriid notoungulate that lived from the Middle to the Late Miocene of what is now Argentina.
Transpithecus is an extinct genus of Notoungulates, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived during the Middle Eocene in what is today South America.
Isotemnus is an extinct genus of notoungulate belonging to the family Isotemnidae. It lived from the Late Paleocene to the Middle Eocene of what is now Argentina.
Plesiotypotherium is an extinct genus of Notoungulate, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived from the Middle to the Late Miocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Archaeopithecus is an extinct genus of Notoungulate, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived during the Middle Eocene, in what is today Argentina.
Teratopithecus is an extinct genus of archaeopithecid notoungulate that lived during the Middle Eocene of what is now Argentina. Fossils of this genus have been found in the Sarmiento Formation of Argentina.
Colbertia is an extinct genus of oldfieldthomasiid notoungulate. It lived from the Early to the Middle Eocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in Argentina and Brazil.
Hegetotheriopsis is an extinct genus of hegetotheriid notoungulate. It lived from the Late Oligocene to the Early Miocene, and its fossilized remains are found in Argentina.
Rosendo is an extinct genus of notohippid notoungulates that lived during the Early Oligocene in what is now Argentina and Chile. Fossils of this genus have been found in the Sarmiento Formation and the Abanico Formations of Argentina and Chile.
