Hassianycteris Temporal range:
Early Eocene,
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Specimen of H. messelensis from the Messel Pit of Germany | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Chiroptera |
(unranked): | Microchiropteramorpha |
Family: | † Hassianycterididae |
Genus: | †
Hassianycteris Smith & Storch, 1981 |
Species | |
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Hassianycteris is an extinct genus of Early Eocene ( Ypresian) to Middle Eocene ( Lutetian) bats from the Hassianycterididae with four or five known species: the type (H. messelensis), H. magna, and H. revilliodi, all found in the Messel pit, Germany, [1] [2] [3] H. kumari, found in the Cambay Shale Formation (Vastan Lignite Mine), India, [4] and the possible fifth species "H." joeli, found in the Kortijk Clay Formation, Belgium, [5] which may instead belong to Onychonycteridae. [3] The Messel bats Palaeochiropteryx and Hassianycteris (alive roughly 48 million years ago) are the first fossil mammals whose colouration has been discovered: both were reddish-brown when alive. [6] [7]
Hassianycteris Temporal range:
Early Eocene,
| |
---|---|
Specimen of H. messelensis from the Messel Pit of Germany | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Chiroptera |
(unranked): | Microchiropteramorpha |
Family: | † Hassianycterididae |
Genus: | †
Hassianycteris Smith & Storch, 1981 |
Species | |
|
Hassianycteris is an extinct genus of Early Eocene ( Ypresian) to Middle Eocene ( Lutetian) bats from the Hassianycterididae with four or five known species: the type (H. messelensis), H. magna, and H. revilliodi, all found in the Messel pit, Germany, [1] [2] [3] H. kumari, found in the Cambay Shale Formation (Vastan Lignite Mine), India, [4] and the possible fifth species "H." joeli, found in the Kortijk Clay Formation, Belgium, [5] which may instead belong to Onychonycteridae. [3] The Messel bats Palaeochiropteryx and Hassianycteris (alive roughly 48 million years ago) are the first fossil mammals whose colouration has been discovered: both were reddish-brown when alive. [6] [7]