Griphotherion

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Griphotherion
Temporal range: Eocene (Casamayoran)
~45.0–41.0  Ma
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Griphotherion

García-López & Powell 2011
Species
  • G. peiranoiGarcía-López & Powell 2011 (type)

Griphotherion is an extinct genus of notoungulate mammal from the Eocene of Argentina. A fossil skeleton was found in the Lumbrera Formation and described in 2011 as the holotype of the type species G. peiranoi.

Description

Griphotherion was a small "rodent-like" notoungulate, similar to members of the families Archaeohyracidae, Hegetotheriidae, and Mesotheriidae. It had many unique features that are not seen in other notoungulates, and has therefore not been placed in any notoungulate family. [1]

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References

  1. García-López, D.A.; Powell, J.E. (2011). "Griphotherion peiranoi, gen. et sp. nov., a new Eocene Notoungulata (Mammalia, Meridiungulata) from northwestern Argentina". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 31 (5): 1117–1130. Bibcode:2011JVPal..31.1117G. doi:10.1080/02724634.2011.599464. hdl: 11336/70202 .