Heptodon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Heptodon
Temporal range: 50.3–48.6 Ma
Ypresian
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Superfamily: Tapiroidea
Family: Helaletidae
Genus: Heptodon
Cope 1882
Species
  • H. calciculus Cope 1880
  • H. minimus Qi 1987
  • H. niushanensis Chow & Li 1965
  • H. posticus Cope 1882

Heptodon is an extinct genus of tapir-type herbivore of the family Helaletidae endemic to North America during the Early Eocene. It lived from 50.3—48.6 mya, existing for approximately 1.7 million years.[1]

Heptodon was about 1 metre (3.3 ft) in length, and closely resembled modern tapirs. The shape of the skull suggests that it probably lacked the characteristic tapir trunk. Instead it probably had a slightly elongated, fleshy upper lip, like its relative Helaletes.[2]

See also

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ Heptodon at fossilworks
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

Lua error in Module:Taxonbar at line 165: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).