Astraponotus

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Astraponotus
Temporal range: Middle-Late Eocene (Mustersan-Tinguirirican)
~48–33.9  Ma
Astraponotus skull.jpg
Reconstruction of the skull of Astraponotus, based on Kramarz et al., 2010.
Scientific classification
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Astraponotus

Ameghino, 1901
Type species
Astraponotus assymmetrum
Ameghino, 1901
Species
  • A. dicksoniRoth, 1903 [1]
  • A. dilatatusRoth, 1903
  • A. holdichiRoth, 1903
  • A. thompsoniRoth, 1903
Synonyms
  • MegalophodonRoth 1903
  • NotamynusRoth 1903

Astraponotus is an extinct genus of astrapotheriids. It lived during the Middle-Late Eocene (in the Mustersan and Tinguirirican of the South American land mammal ages (SALMA), 48-33.9 million years ago) and its fossil remains have been found in the Sarmiento Formation of Argentina, South America. [2]

Contents

Description

Unlike most astrapotheres, Astraponotus was equipped with an unusually high, short, narrow skull. The nasal bones were quite withdrawn, which suggests the presence of a short proboscis. Other unusual features of Astraponotus includes the extreme reduction of the premaxillary and nasal bones, the absence of an antorbital circle, and the reduction of the frontal region. The canines were long and strong, as in all astrapotheres. [3]

Classification

Right astragalus of Astraponotus at the Museo de La Plata. Astroponotus.jpg
Right astragalus of Astraponotus at the Museo de La Plata.

Astraponotus was first described in 1901 by Florentino Ameghino, based on teeth fossils. [5] The type species, Astraponotus assymetrum, comes from Eocene terrains known as Gran Barranca, in Patagonia (Argentina). The area was later nicknamed capas Astraponotenses ("Astraponotus' layers" in Spanish) due to the abundance of the peculiar fossils of this animal. Other species were described later (for example, A. dicksoni and A. holdichi), but always based just on the remains of the teeth and jaws. A nearly complete skull was not described until 2010, which has allowed hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of this animal more precisely. [3]

The features observed in the teeth of Astraponotus are intermediate between the Middle Eocene astrapotheres and those of the Oligocene-Miocene in the degree of hypsodoncy, the reduced dental formula, and the development of accessory occlusal elements. Moreover, the skull retains plesiomorphic features also observed in the archaic genus Trigonostylops , while the auditory region and the skull base are much closer to those of Parastrapotherium , Astrapotherium , and Granastrapotherium . Furthermore, the Astraponotus skull differs from all astrapotheres known in its disproportionate height, the narrowness of the skull, and other numerous cranial specializations that are opposite to Astrapotherium. These features seem surprisingly derived for an Eocene astrapothere, and suggest that these extreme cranial specializations were developed independently during the evolution of this order; Astraponotus could represent a lineage distinct from Astrapotherium and other Miocene forms. [3]

Phylogeny

Cladogram based in the phylogenetic analysis by Vallejo-Pareja et al., 2015, showing the position of Astraponotus: [6]

Eoastrapostylops

Trigonostylops

Tetragonostylops

Albertogaudrya

Scaglia

Astraponotus

Maddenia

Comahuetherium

Parastrapotherium

Astrapotheriinae

Astrapotherium

Astrapothericulus

Uruguaytheriinae

Uruguaytherium

Hilarcotherium

Xenastrapotherium

Granastrapotherium

Related Research Articles

<i>Trigonostylops</i>

Trigonostylops is an extinct genus of South American meridiungulatan ungulate, from the Late Paleocene to Late Eocene of South America and Antarctica. It is the only member of the family Trigonostylopidae.

<i>Pyrotherium</i> Extinct genus of mammals

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.

<i>Protypotherium</i> Extinct genus of notoungulates

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.

<i>Cramauchenia</i> Extinct genus of litoptern South American ungulate

Cramauchenia is an extinct genus of litoptern South American ungulate. Cramauchenia was named by Florentino Ameghino. The name has no literal translation. Instead, it is an anagram of the name of a related genus Macrauchenia. This genus was initially discovered in the Sarmiento Formation in the Chubut Province, in Argentina, and later it was found in the Chichinales Formation in the Río Negro Province and the Cerro Bandera Formation in Neuquén, also in Argentina, in sediments assigned to the SALMA Colhuehuapian, as well as the Agua de la Piedra Formation in Mendoza, in sediments dated to the Deseadan. In 1981 Soria made C. insolita a junior synonym of C. normalis. A specimen of C. normalis was described in 2010 from Cabeza Blanca in the Sarmiento Formation, in sediments assigned to the Deseadan SALMA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astrapotheria</span> Extinct order of mammals

Astrapotheria is an extinct order of South American and Antarctic hoofed mammals that existed from the late Paleocene to the Middle Miocene, 59 to 11.8 million years ago. Astrapotheres were large, rhinoceros-like animals and have been called one of the most bizarre orders of mammals with an enigmatic evolutionary history.

<i>Astrapotherium</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Astrapotherium is an extinct genus of large astrapotherian ungulate native to South America during the early-middle Miocene. It is the best known member of the group The type species. A. magnus have been found in the Santa Cruz Formation in Argentina. Other fossils have been found in the Deseado, Sarmiento, and Aisol Formations of Argentina and Chile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astrapotheriidae</span> Extinct family of mammals

Astrapotheriidae is an extinct family of herbivorous South American land mammals that lived from the Late Eocene to the Middle Miocene 37.71 to 15.98 million years ago. The most derived of the astrapotherians, they were also the largest and most specialized mammals in the Tertiary of South America. There are two sister taxa: Eoastrapostylopidae and Trigonostylopidae.

<i>Granastrapotherium</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Granastrapotherium is an extinct genus of ungulate mammals, described from remains found in rocks of the Honda Group in the Tatacoa Desert, in the Colombian departments of Huila and Tolima, at the Miocene fossil site La Venta. The only species formally recognized is Granastrapotherium snorki. Remains found in Bolivia and Peru, seem to belong to Granastrapotherium or a very similar animal.

<i>Xenastrapotherium</i>

Xenastrapotherium is an extinct genus of astrapothere, a type of hoofed herbivorous mammal, native to South America, which lived in the Middle to Late Miocene period, typically during the Laventan stage. It is a member of the family Astrapotheriidae in the subfamily Uruguaytheriinae, large astrapotheres, equipped with a trunk-like nose and protruding teeth, similar to the elephants, but their tusks were the canine teeth, not the incisors. Xenastrapotherium was a genus widely distributed in northern South America, in contrast to other species of astrapotheres which lived in the area of the Southern Cone of the continent. It differed from other astrapotheres by having two lower incisors on each side of the jaw and the tusks have a pronounced longitudinal curvature, although their general shape and size are probably very similar to Astrapotherium, whose weight would be 900 to 1,500 kilograms, comparable to the current black rhinoceros.

Uruguaytherium is an extinct genus of astrapotherid mammal from the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene of South America. It was named by the Argentinean paleontologist Lucas Kraglievich in 1928, from a fragmentary fossil found in the Fray Bentos Formation of the department of Río Negro in Uruguay, and the type species is U. beaulieui. The related genera Xenastrapotherium and Granastrapotherium, which make up Uruguaytheriinae with Uruguaytherium, are also from South America, although them colonizated the equatorial zone. The holotype specimen of Uruguaytherium is a partial mandible (the left mandibular ramus), with a preserved third molar, or M3.

<i>Hilarcotherium</i>

Hilarcotherium is an extinct genus of astrapotheriid mammals that lived in South America during the Middle Miocene (Laventan). The type species is H. castanedaii, found in sediments of the La Victoria Formation, part of the Honda Group in the department of Tolima in Colombia. In 2018, Carrillo et al. described a partial skull and mandible of a second species H. miyou from the Castilletes Formation in the Cocinetas Basin of northern Colombia, and estimated the body weight of the animal at 6,465 kilograms (14,253 lb).

Maddenia is an extinct genus of astrapothere, meridiungulate herbivore mammals characterised by its large tusks and the development of proboscis, endemic of South America. This genus was discovered in an outcrop near to the Lake Colhué Huapi in the place La Cantera, in the Chubut Province, in Argentina, in sediments corresponding to the Sarmiento Formation, that dates of the Late Oligocene.

Utaetus is an extinct genus of mammal in the order Cingulata, related to the modern armadillos. The genus contains two species, Utaetus buccatus and U. magnum. It lived in the Late Paleocene to Late Eocene and its fossil remains were found in Argentina and Brazil in South America.

Astrapothericulus is an extinct genus of mammals, belonging to the order Astrapotheria. It lived during the Lower Miocene in what is now South America.

Asmithwoodwardia is an extinct genus of mammals, from the order Litopterna. It lived during the Late Paleocene and the Early Eocene, and its fossilized remains were found in South America.

<i>Tetramerorhinus</i> Extinct genus of litopterns

Tetramerorhinus is an extinct genus of proterotheriid litoptern that lived during the Early and Middle Miocene in what is now Argentina and Peru.

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.

Pleurostylodon is an extinct genus of notoungulate belonging to the family Isotemnidae. It lived during the Middle Eocene, in what is now Argentina.

<i>Notopithecus</i> Extinct genus of notoungulates

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarmiento Formation</span> Geologic formation in Chubut Province, Argentina

The Sarmiento Formation, in older literature described as the Casamayor Formation, is a geological formation in Chubut Province, Argentina, in central Patagonia, which spans around 30 million years from the mid-Eocene to the early Miocene. It predominantly consists of pyroclastic deposits, which were deposited in a semi-arid environment. It is divided up into a number of members. The diverse fauna of the Sarmiento Formation, including a variety of birds, crocodilians, turtles and snakes, also includes many mammals such as South American native ungulates as well as armadillos, and caviomorph rodents.

References

  1. Roth, S. 1903. Noticias preliminares sobre nuevos mamíferos fósiles del Cretáceo superior y Terciario inferior de la Patagonia. Revista del Museo de La Plata 11: 135–158
  2. Astraponotus at Fossilworks.org
  3. 1 2 3 Kramarz, A. G., Bond M. and Forasiepi, A. M., 2010. New remains of Astraponotus (Mammalia, Astrapotheria) and considerations on Astrapothere cranial evolution. Paläontol Z. DOI 10.1007/s12542-010-0087-4.
  4. Lorente, Malena (2020). "Cotylar Fossa, Its Interpretation and Functionality. The Case from South American Native Ungulates". Ameghiniana. 57 (4): 354–369. doi:10.5710/AMGH.08.06.2020.3306. ISSN   0002-7014. S2CID   221839968.
  5. F. Ameghino. 1901. Notices préliminaires sur des ongulés nouveaux des terrains crétacés de Patagonie [Preliminary notes on new ungulates from the Cretaceous terrains of Patagonia]. Boletin de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Córdoba 16:349-429
  6. M. C. Vallejo-Pareja; J. D. Carrillo; J. W. Moreno-Bernal; M. Pardo-Jaramillo; D. F. Rodriguez-Gonzalez; J. Muñoz-Duran (2015). "Hilarcotherium castanedaii, gen. et sp. nov., a new Miocene astrapothere (Mammalia, Astrapotheriidae) from the Upper Magdalena Valley, Colombia" (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 35 (2): e903960. Bibcode:2015JVPal..35E3960V. doi:10.1080/02724634.2014.903960. S2CID   130728894.