Amphilemuridae Temporal range:
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Pholidocercus hassiacus fossil at Museum of Paleontology, Tübingen | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Eulipotyphla |
Family: | †
Amphilemuridae Hill, 1953 |
Synonyms [1] | |
Dormaaliidae Quinet 1964 |
The Amphilemuridae are a family of extinct mammals belonging to the order Eulipotyphla, from the Eocene of Europe and North America.
Amphilemurids were generally small in size and may have resembled moonrats in life. Some species had spines like those of hedgehogs, while others were almost free of spines or had bristly coats. Most species are known only from teeth.
The family Amphilemuridae was first described in 1953 by Hill, and was included in the order Insectivora, which later proved to be polyphyletic. Currently the amphilemurids are considered basal members of the order Eulipotyphla, although Hooker and Russell (2012) considered them to belong to the order Macroscelidea. [2]
Family †Amphilemuridae Hill, 1953
Amphilemuridae Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
| |
Pholidocercus hassiacus fossil at Museum of Paleontology, Tübingen | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Eulipotyphla |
Family: | †
Amphilemuridae Hill, 1953 |
Synonyms [1] | |
Dormaaliidae Quinet 1964 |
The Amphilemuridae are a family of extinct mammals belonging to the order Eulipotyphla, from the Eocene of Europe and North America.
Amphilemurids were generally small in size and may have resembled moonrats in life. Some species had spines like those of hedgehogs, while others were almost free of spines or had bristly coats. Most species are known only from teeth.
The family Amphilemuridae was first described in 1953 by Hill, and was included in the order Insectivora, which later proved to be polyphyletic. Currently the amphilemurids are considered basal members of the order Eulipotyphla, although Hooker and Russell (2012) considered them to belong to the order Macroscelidea. [2]
Family †Amphilemuridae Hill, 1953