| Archaeopithecus Temporal range: Middle Eocene ~ | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | † Notoungulata |
| Family: | † Archaeopithecidae |
| Genus: | † Archaeopithecus Ameghino, 1897 |
| Type species | |
| †Archaeopithecus rogeri Ameghino, 1897 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Archaeopithecus is an extinct genus of notoungulate, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived during the Middle Eocene, in what is today Argentina.
This animal is mostly known from several cranial remains, including an almost complete skull, teeth and mandibles. Comparison with some of its better known relatives allows to portray a small animal, somewhat similar with rodents, and weighing less than two kilograms. The snout was higher than in Notopithecus , with a longer rostrum ; the mandible was short and thick, with a particularly massive, short and broad mandibular symphysis. The tympanic bullae were modestly sized.
Archaeopithecus had conical incisors, similar to its canines, and triangular-shaped upper premolars, devoid of hypocone. The premolars and molars had a strong parastyle and a paracone fold. Unlike other Eocene notoungulates such as Notopithecus and Oldfieldthomasia , which had low-crowned teeth, Archaeopithecus had a near-hypsodont (high-crowned) dentition, with short diastemas between the anterior teeth. The teeth of Archaeopithecus show an important occlusal variability during growth, associated with a variations caused by wear in the size of the teeth : with the progress of dental wear, the upper molars became wider, while the lower molars became broad and short.
The type species, Archaeopithecus rongeri, was first described in 1897 by Florentino Ameghino. It is known from various fossils discovered in Middle Eocene terrains of Argentina. More recently, other species of small notoungulates from the same terrains were described, including Acropithecus tersus and Archaeopithecus rigidus. Several studies tried subsequently to shed light on their taxonomic confusion ; a recent review of their fossil materials indicates that all those species are most probably synonymous with the type species. [1]
Archaeopithecus and Acropithecus were initially described by Ameghino as primitive monkeys, hence their name, Archaeopithecus ("archaic monkey") and Acropithecus ("highest monkey"), but were later correctly attributed to the order Notoungulata. There is still doubts over the real relationships of this genus within Notoungulata ; it is often placed, with its relative Teratopithecus , within the family Archaeopithecidae, sometimes including the better known genus Notopithecus, and characterized by the characteristic conical incisors and canines and the near hypsodont molars. It may have been an archaic member of the suborder Typotheria, a group of rodent-like notoungulates.
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.
Archaeopithecidae is an extinct family comprising two genera of notoungulate mammals, Teratopithecus and Archaeopithecus, both known from the Eocene of Argentina.
Mesotheriidae is an extinct family of notoungulate mammals known from the Oligocene through the Pleistocene of South America. Mesotheriids were small to medium-sized herbivorous mammals adapted for digging.
Prosotherium is an extinct genus of hegetotheriid notoungulate. It lived during the Late Oligocene, and its fossilized remains were found in South America.
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.
Eohyrax is an extinct genus of Notoungulate, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived during the Middle Eocene, and its remains were discovered in South America.
Pseudhyrax is an extinct genus of archaeohyracid notoungulate. It lived from the Late Eocene to the Early Oligocene, of what is now South America.
Transpithecus is an extinct genus of Notoungulates, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived during the Middle Eocene in what is today South America.
Propachyrucos is an extinct genus of hegetotheriid notoungulate. It lived from the Late Oligocene to the Early Miocene, in what is today South America.
Pleurostylodon is an extinct genus of notoungulate belonging to the family Isotemnidae. It lived during the Middle Eocene, in what is now Argentina.
Eomorphippus is an extinct genus of notohippid notoungulate that lived from the Late Eocene to the Early Oligocene in what is today South America.
Eurygenium is an extinct genus of notoungulate belonging to the family Notohippidae. It lived during the Late Oligocene in what is today South America.
Morphippus is an extinct genus of notohippid notoungulate that lived during the Middle to Late Oligocene in what is now South America.
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.
Oldfieldthomasia is an extinct genus of Notoungulate, probably related to the suborder Typotheria. It lived during the Middle Eocene, in what is today South America.
Ultrapithecus is an extinct genus of oldfieldthomasiid notoungulate that lived during the Middle Eocene of what is now Argentina.
Argyrohyrax is an extinct genus of interatheriid notoungulate that lived during the Late Oligocene, of what is now Argentina and Bolivia.
Santiagorothia is an extinct genus of interatheriid notoungulate. It lived during the Early Oligocene, and its fossils were discovered in Argentina and Chile.
Altitypotherium is an extinct genus of Notoungulate, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived during the Early Miocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Notopithecus is an extinct genus of Notoungulate, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived from the Middle to the Late Eocene and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
