Parvitragulus
Parvitragulus Temporal range: Eocene | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Synapsida |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | †Hypertragulidae |
Genus: | †Parvitragulus Lull (1922) |
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Range of Nanotragulus based on fossil record |
Parvitragulus is an extinct genus belonging to the family Hypertragulidae, within the order Artiodactyla, endemic to North America during the Eocene, living 38–33.9 Ma, existing for approximately 4.1 million years.[1]
Parvitragulus were primitive and ancient ruminants, resembling small deer or musk deer, although they were more closely related to modern chevrotains. Its diet is stated to be that of a frugivore.
Taxonomy
Parvitragulus was named by Emry (1978). Its type is Parvitragulus priscus. It was assigned to Hypertragulidae by Emry (1978) and Carroll (1988).[2][3]
Morphology
Body mass
Four specimens were examined by M. Mendoza, C. M. Janis, and P. Palmqvist for body mass:[4]
- 3.26 kg (7.2 lb)
- 2.16 kg (4.8 lb)
Fossil distribution
Partial list of fossil sites:
- Flagstaff Rim I, Natrona County, Wyoming
- Dirty Creek Ridge, Sioux County, Nebraska
- Airstrip (TMM 40504), Presidio County, Texas
References
- ↑ PaleoBiology Database: Parvitragulus, basic info
- ↑ R. J. Emry. 1978. Journal of Paleontology 52(5)
- ↑ R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W. H. Freeman and Company, New York 1-698
- ↑ M. Mendoza, C. M. Janis, and P. Palmqvist. 2006. Estimating the body mass of extinct ungulates: a study on the use of multiple regression. Journal of Zoology 270(1):90-101
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