Interatheriinae | |
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Fossil of P. australe. Exhibit in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan. | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | † Notoungulata |
Suborder: | † Typotheria |
Family: | † Interatheriidae |
Subfamily: | † Interatheriinae Ameghino, 1887 |
Genera | |
Interatheriinae is an extinct subfamily of interatheriids that consisted of notoungulates dating from the Early Eocene (Casamayoran SALMA) to the Early Pliocene (Montehermosan SALMA). The subfamily includes the genera Archaeophylus , Argyrohyrax , Boleatherium , Brucemacfaddenia , Caenophilus , Choichephilum , Cochilius , Eopachyrucos , Federicoanaya , Interatherium , Juchuysillu , Miocochilius , Neoicochilus , Patriarchus , Proargyrohyrax , Progaleopithecus , Protypotherium , and Santiagorothia . [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] They were small to medium sized interatheres, and when compared to the other subfamily, Notopithecinae, interatheriines are found to occupy an advanced, derived position in the family. [6] [7]
Interatheriines were generally small to medium-sized interatheriids, and rarely exceeded the size of a groundhog. Compared with the other representatives of the suborder Typotheria, interatheriiness were mainly characterized by certain dental features, including the absence of roots in the anterior incisors. The skulls of interatheriines were usually equipped with full dentition. The best-known forms include Protypotherium , which was long-legged and vaguely rabbit-like in terms of appearance, and Interatherium , which was short-legged and weasel-like in terms of appearance, both from the Early Miocene. Other well-known genera are Cochilius , akin to the previous ones, and the bizarre Miocochilius , equipped with long two-toed legs, presumably an extreme adaptation to running. [8] [7]
The subfamily Interatheriinae was established in 1887 by Florentino Ameghino. [9] The Interatheriinae subfamily includes the most derived interatheriids, the most derived of which include Boleatherium , Caenophilus , Choichephilum , Cochilius , Interatherium , Juchuysillu , Miocochilius , and Protypotherium . [1] According to Vera et al. 2017, the Interatheriinae is defined as "the most recent common ancestor of Eopachyrucos pliciferus and Interatherium robustum, and all of its descendants".
The following cladogram of the Interatheriinae is based on Vera et al. 2017, showing the position of interatheriines. [7]
Interatheriinae | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
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.
Interatherium is an extinct genus of interatheriid mammal from the Early to Middle Miocene (Colhuehuapian-Mayoan). Fossils have been found in the Santa Cruz, Collón Curá and Sarmiento Formations in Argentina.
Miocochilius is an extinct genus of small notoungulate mammals (typotheres) native to South America. The genus lived during the Middle Miocene epoch. The genus contains two described species, the type species M. anomopodus described in 1953 by Ruben Arthur Stirton and M. federicoi, described and included in the genus by Darin A. Croft.
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.
Prosotherium is an extinct genus of hegetotheriid notoungulate. It lived during the Late Oligocene, and its fossilized remains were found in 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.
Antofagastia is an extinct genus of Notoungulate, belonging to the family Interatheriidae. It lived during the Late Eocene in what is today South America.
Argyrohyrax is an extinct genus of interatheriid notoungulate that lived during the Late Oligocene, of what is now Argentina and Bolivia.
Patriarchus is an extinct genus of interatheriid notoungulates that lived during the Early Miocene in what is now Argentina. Fossils of this genus have been found in the Santa Cruz Formation of Argentina.
Santiagorothia is an extinct genus of interatheriid notoungulate. It lived during the Early Oligocene, and its fossils were discovered in Argentina and Chile.
Cochilius is an extinct genus of interatheriid notoungulate that lived between the Late Oligocene and the lower Miocene in what is now Argentina.
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.
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.
Boleatherium is an extinct genus of interatheriid notoungulate that lived from the Early to Middle Miocene of what is now Argentina. Fossils of this genus have been found in the Cerro Boleadoras Formation, the formation which this genus was named after.
Eopachyrucos is an extinct genus of interatheriid notoungulates that lived from the Middle Eocene to the Late Oligocene of Argentina and Uruguay. Fossils of this genus have been found in the Sarmiento Formation of Argentina and the Fray Bentos Formation of Uruguay.
Moqueguahippus is an extinct genus of notohippid notoungulates that lived during the Late Oligocene of what is now Peru. Fossils of this genus have been found in the Moquegua Formation of Peru, which it was named after.
Progaleopithecus is an extinct genus of interatheriid notoungulate that lived during the Late Oligocene of Argentina. Fossils of this genus have been found in the Agua de la Piedra, Deseado, and Sarmiento Formations of Argentina.
Federicoanaya 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.
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.