Apterodon
| Apterodon | |
|---|---|
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| Two views of the skull of Apterodon macrognathus | |
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| Apterodon macrognathus life restoration | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | †Hyaenodonta |
| Superfamily: | †Hyainailouroidea |
| Family: | †Hyainailouridae |
| Subfamily: | †Apterodontinae |
| Genus: | †Apterodon Fischer, 1880 |
| Type species | |
| †Apterodon gaudryi Fischer, 1880
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| Species | |
| Synonyms | |
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synonyms of genus:
synonyms of species:
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Apterodon ("without winged tooth") is an extinct genus of hyaenodonts from extinct subfamily Apterodontinae within paraphyletic family Hyainailouridae, that lived from the late Eocene to the early Oligocene epoch in Africa and Europe.[3][9] Including supplementary materials It is closely related to the African Quasiapterodon.[3]
Uniquely among hyaenodonts, species of Apterodon were semiaquatic, fossorial mammals. They possessed strong forelimbs that were well equipped for digging, compared to those of modern badgers, while the tail, torso and hindlimbs show adaptations similar to those of other aquatic mammals like otters and pinnipeds. The dentition was suited to feed on hard-shelled invertebrate prey, such as crustaceans and shellfish. They probably lived along African coastlines.[3]
Dental analysis found that within Apterodon macrognathus, the dental eruption of secondary dentition occurred much more slowly than in carnivorans.[10]
Taxonomy
[edit | edit source]* Subfamily: †Apterodontinae(Szalay, 1967)
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Description
[edit | edit source]Apterodon macroganthis was a large hyaenodont, weighing between 25.6–35.4 kg (56–78 lb).[11][12]
References
[edit | edit source]
- ^ Schlosser M. (1910.) "Über einige fossil saügetiere aus dem Oligocän von Ägypten." Zoologischer Anzeiger 35: 500–508.
- ^ Fischer, P. (1880.) "Note sur un nouveau genre de mammifère fossile (Apterodon gaudryi) des Phosphorites du Quercy." Bulletin de la Société géologique de France 8, 288–290.
- ^ a b c d e Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ C. W. Andrews (1904.) "Further notes on the mammals of the Eocene of Egypt. Part III." Geological Magazine, London Ser. 5 1:211-215
- ^ E. Frey, W. Munk, M. Böhme, M. Morlo and M. Hensel (2010.) "First creodont carnivore from the Rupelian Clays (Oligocene) of the Clay Pit Unterfeld at Rauenberg (Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg): Apterodon rauenbergensis n.sp." Kaupia 17:103-113
- ^ E. L. Simons and P. D. Gingerich (1976.) "A new species of Apterodon (Mammalia, Creodonta) from the upper Eocene Qasr el-Sagha Formation of Egypt." Postilla 168:1-9
- ^ Andreae, A. (1887.) "Ein neues Raubtier aus dem mitteloligocänen Meeresand des Mainzer Beckens." Bericht uber die Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft (125–133).
- ^ B. Lange-Badré and M. Böhme (2005.) "Apterodon intermedius, sp. nov., a new European Creodont Mammal from MP22 of Espenhain (Germany)." Annales de Paléontologie 91:311-328
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