| Fredszalaya Temporal range: Late Oligocene (Deseadan) | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | † Sparassodonta |
| Family: | † Borhyaenidae |
| Genus: | † Fredszalaya Shockey & Anaya, 2008 |
| Type species | |
| Fredszalaya hunteri Shockey & Anaya, 2008 | |
Fredszalaya is an extinct genus of omnivorous mammal, belonging to the order Sparassodonta. It lived during the Late Oligocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
It was a relatively small-sized animal, compared with some of its relatives such as Borhyaena . Its fossils show an animal the size of a modern jackal, with large and grinding molars whose protrusions and cusps were not reduced. The shape of its heels indicates that Fredszalaya was able to climb trees, unlike Borhyaena. Its muzzle was rather short, and its dentition was quite robust. [1]
Fredszalaya was first described in 2008, based on fossils found in the Salla Formation in Bolivia. The description study indicates that it was quite closely related to Borhyaena, mainly based on the shape of the alisphenoid. It is still unclear, however, if Fredszalaya had a morphology similar to Borhyaena. Fredszalaya was part of the Borhyaenidae, a clade of South American predatory sparassodonts. [1]
Fredszalaya seems to have been an animal as well adapted for climbing than for life on the ground. Its teeth indicates that it was omnivorous.
Sparassodonta is an extinct order of carnivorous metatherian mammals native to South America, related to modern marsupials. They were once considered to be true marsupials, but are now thought to be a separate side branch that split before the last common ancestor of all modern marsupials.
Pyrotherium is an extinct genus of South American ungulate in 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.
Rhynchippus is an extinct genus of notoungulate mammals from the Late Oligocene of South America. The genus was first described by Florentino Ameghino in 1897 and the type species is R. equinus, with lectotype MACN A 52–31. Fossils of Rhynchippus have been found in the Agua de la Piedra and Sarmiento Formations of Argentina, the Salla and Petaca Formations of Bolivia, the Tremembé Formation of Brazil, and the Moquegua Formation of Peru.
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.
Proborhyaenidae is an extinct family of metatherian mammals of the order Sparassodonta, which lived in South America from the Eocene (Mustersan) until the Oligocene (Deseadan). Sometimes it has been included as a subfamily of their relatives, the borhyaenids. The largest species, Proborhyaena gigantea, is estimated to be about the size of a spectacled bear, with its skull reaching 60 cm (2.0 ft) in length, and body mass estimates up to approximately 90–200 kg (200–440 lb), making the proborhyaenids some of the largest known metatherians. Proborhyaenid remains have been found in western Bolivia, Uruguay, southern Brazil, and the provinces of Mendoza, Salta, and Chubut, in Argentina.
Pharsophorus is an extinct genus of borhyaenoid sparassodont that inhabited South America during the Middle to Late Oligocene epoch.
Ronwolffia is an extinct genus of horned armadillo (Peltephilidae), distantly related to the modern species of armadillos and to the extinct glyptodonts. It lived during the Oligocene in what is now the Salla Formation in Bolivia.
Sparnotheriodontidae is an enigmatic extinct family of litopterns known primarily from teeth. Sparnotheriodontids are one of two South American native ungulate clades known to have reached Antarctica, the other being astrapotheres.
Proadinotherium is an extinct genus of toxodontid. It lived between the Late Oligocene and the Early Miocene in what is now 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.
Pseudotypotherium is an extinct genus of notoungulates, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived from the Late Miocene to the Late Pliocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Anayatherium is an extinct genus of notoungulate belonging to the family Leontiniidae. It lived during the Late Oligocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Ancylocoelus is an extinct genus of mammal, belonging to the order Notoungulata. It lived during the Late Oligocene, in what is today Argentina, in South America.
Taubatherium is an extinct genus of mammal, belonging to the order Notoungulata. It lived during the Late Oligocene, in what is today Brazil, in South America.
Pascualihippus is an extinct genus of notoungulate belonging to the family Notohippidae. It lived during the Late Oligocene, in what is now Bolivia.
Sallatherium is an extinct genus of Notoungulate, belonging to the suborder Typotheria. It lived during the Late Oligocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Paraborhyaena is an extinct genus of Sparassodont, belonging to the family Proborhyaenidae. It was one of the large terrestrial predators that roamed South America during the Oligocene.
Proborhyaena is an extinct genus of proborhyaenid sparassodont that lived during the Oligocene of what is now South America. It is considered to be the largest of the sparassodonts.
Brucemacfaddenia is an extinct genus of interatheriine notoungulates that lived during the Late Oligocene in what is now Bolivia. Fossils of this genus have been found in the Salla Formation of Bolivia.
Coniopternium is an extinct genus of macraucheniids from the Late Oligocene of South America. Fossils of Coniopternium have been found in the Agua de la Piedra, Deseado, and Sarmiento Formations of Argentina, the Salla Formation of Bolivia, and the Moquegua Formation of Peru.
