Martinmiguelia

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Martinmiguelia
Temporal range: Middle Eocene
~48–42  Ma
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Notoungulata
Family: Leontiniidae
Genus: Martinmiguelia
Bond & López, 1995
Species:
M. fernandezi
Binomial name
Martinmiguelia fernandezi
Bond & López, 1995

Martinmiguelia is an extinct genus of Notoungulate, belonging to the family Leontiniidae. It lived during the Middle Eocene, and its fossil remains were found in South America.

Contents

Description

This animal is only known from skull and mandible remains, and it probably shared similarities with later and better known leontiniids, such as Scarrittia . It was smaller-sized than those derived genera, approximately the size of a sheep. Martinmiguelia was characterized by an archaic dental formula, with a complete dentition (three incisors, one canine, four premolars and three molars) and a quasi-absence of diastema, except for small spaces around the small-sized canines. The molars and premolars were low-crowned (brachydont), a primitive condition for leontinnids. The upper incisors were canine-like and possessed labial girdles, and the second upper incisor was larger than the others.

Classification

Martinmiguelia fernandezi was first described in 1995, based on fossils found in the Casa Grande Formation, in the Jujuy Province of Argentina, in terrains dated from the Mustersan (Middle Eocene). Martinmiguelia is considered to be one of the oldest and most basal members of the family Leontiniidae, a group of heavy toxodonts with massive builds. It was related with the Eocene genus Coquenia , and with the Oligocene genus Elmerriggsia .

Bibliography


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