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Jebel Qatrani Formation
The Jebel Qatrani Formation (also Gebel Qatrani) is a palaeontological and geologic formation located in the Faiyum Governorate of central Egypt. Conformably overlying the Qasr el Sagha Formation. It is exposed namely between the Jebel Qatrani escarpment and the Qasr el Sagha escarpment, north of Birket Qarun lake near Faiyum. Geology These rocks were laid down in the Eocene- Oligocene period ( Priabonian - Rupelian). This formation was originally thought to be between 35.4 and 33.3 million years old, based on initial analysis of the formation. However, analysis by Erik Seiffert in 2006 concluded that the age of the Jebel Qatrani Formation should be revised. His assessment of more recent evidence indicates an age for most of the formation of between 30.2 and 29.5 million years ago, placing it almost entirely in the Early Oligocene. Seiffert states that only the lowest 48 metres was laid down in the Eocene, but recent opinion holds the original hypothesis of a sediment straddli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arsinoitherium Hharder
''Arsinoitherium'' is an extinct genus of paenungulate mammals belonging to the extinct order Embrithopoda. It is related to elephants, sirenians, hyraxes and the extinct desmostylians. Arsinoitheres were superficially rhinoceros-like herbivores that lived during the Late Eocene and the Early Oligocene of North Africa from 36 to 30 million years ago, in areas of tropical rainforest and at the margin of mangrove swamps. A species described in 2004, ''A. giganteum'', lived in Ethiopia about 27 million years ago. Taxonomy The best-known (and first-described) species is ''A. zitteli''. Another species, ''A. giganteum'', was discovered in the Ethiopian highlands of Chilga in 2003. The fossil teeth, far larger than those of ''A. zitteli'', date to around 28–27 million years ago. While the Fayum Oasis is the only site where complete skeletons of ''Arsinoitherium'' fossils were recovered, arsinoitheriids have been found in southeastern Europe, including ''Crivadiatherium'' from Roman ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eocene–Oligocene Extinction Event
The Eocene–Oligocene extinction event, also called the Eocene-Oligocene transition or ''Grande Coupure'', is the transition between the end of the Eocene and the beginning of the Oligocene, an extinction event and faunal turnover occurring between 33.9 and 33.4 million years ago marked by large-scale extinction and floral and faunal turnover (although minor in comparison to the largest mass extinctions). Most of the affected organisms were marine or aquatic in nature. They included the last of the ancient ungulates, the "condylarths". This was a time of major climatic change, especially cooling, not clearly caused by any single major impact or volcanic event. Extended volcanic activity is one possible cause. Another speculation points to several large meteorite impacts near this time, including those of the Chesapeake Bay crater and the Popigai impact structure of central Siberia, which scattered debris perhaps as far as Europe. New dating of the Popigai meteor strengthens it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Otter Shrew
Potamogalidae is the family of "otter shrews", a group of semiaquatic riverine afrotherian mammals indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa. They are most closely related to the tenrecs of Madagascar, from which they are thought to have split about 47–53 million years ago. They were formerly considered a subfamily of Tenrecidae. All otter shrews are carnivorous, preying on any aquatic animal they can find with their sensitive whiskers, particurally insects. As their common name suggests, they bear a strong, but superficial resemblance to true otters to which they are not closely related, nor are they closely related to true shrews. They move through the water by undulating their tail in a side-to-side motion similar to the motions made by a crocodile swimming. Morphology Otter shrews have small eyes and ears, consistent with the features of nearly all shrews. They have a broad, flat, muzzle that is substantially covered with sensetive whiskers and ends in a leathery pad. The margins o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Golden Mole
Golden moles are small insectivorous burrowing mammals endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa. They comprise the family Chrysochloridae and as such they are taxonomically distinct from the true moles, family Talpidae, and other mole-like families, all of which, to various degrees, they resemble as a result of evolutionary convergence. There are 21 species. Some (e.g., ''Chrysochloris asiatica'', ''Amblysomus hottentotus'') are relatively common, whereas others (e.g., species of ''Chrysospalax'', ''Cryptochloris'', ''Neamblysomus'') are rare and endangered. Characteristics and affinities Like most burrowing mammals with similar habits, the Chrysochloridae have short legs with powerful digging claws, very dense fur that repels dirt and moisture, and toughened skin, particularly on the head. Their eyes are non-functional and covered with furred skin. The external ears are just tiny openings. In particular, golden moles bear a remarkable resemblance to the marsupial moles of Australia, famil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Widanelfarasia
''Widanelfarasia'' is an extinct genus of placental mammals known from the Late Eocene Jebel Qatrani Formation of Egypt. Two species are known: ''W. bowni'' and the smaller ''W. rasmusseni''. Described in 2000 by E. R. Seiffert and Elwyn L. Simons, ''Widanelfarasia'' was initially classified as uncertain position (''incertae sedis'') within placentals, but was later placed within the afrosoricidan suborder Tenrecomorpha (tenrec A tenrec is any species of mammal within the afrotherian family Tenrecidae endemic to Madagascar. Tenrecs are wildly diverse; as a result of convergent evolution some resemble hedgehogs, shrews, opossums, rats, and mice. They occupy aquatic, a ...s and otter shrews). The genus name derives from Widan el-Faras (Arabic for "Ears of the Mare"), two prominent hills in the area where the fossils were recovered. References Eocene mammals of Africa Fossil taxa described in 2000 Afrosoricida Prehistoric placental genera {{paleo-afrotheria-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qatranilestes
''Qatranilestes'' is an extinct genus of afrosoricid which existed in Fayum, Egypt during the earliest Oligocene period (Rupelian The Rupelian is, in the geologic timescale, the older of two ages or the lower of two stages of the Oligocene Epoch/ Series. It spans the time between . It is preceded by the Priabonian Stage (part of the Eocene) and is followed by the Chattian ... age). It was first named by Erik R. Seiffert in 2010 and the type species is ''Qatranilestes oligocaenus''. As of 2010, ''Qatranilestes'' was the youngest known afrosoricid fossil from Egypt. References Prehistoric placental genera Fossil taxa described in 2010 Oligocene mammals of Africa {{paleo-afrotheria-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Afrotheria
Afrotheria ( from Latin ''Afro-'' "of Africa" + ''theria'' "wild beast") is a clade of mammals, the living members of which belong to groups that are either currently living in Africa or of African origin: golden moles, elephant shrews (also known as sengis), tenrecs, aardvarks, hyraxes, elephants, sea cows, and several extinct clades. Most groups of afrotheres share little or no superficial resemblance, and their similarities have only become known in recent times because of genetics and molecular studies. Many afrothere groups are found mostly or exclusively in Africa, reflecting the fact that Africa was an island continent from the Cretaceous until the early Miocene around 20 million years ago, when Afro-Arabia collided with Eurasia. Because Africa was isolated by water, Laurasian groups of mammals such as insectivores, rodents, lagomorphs, carnivorans and ungulates could not reach Africa for much of the early to mid-Cenozoic. Instead, the niches occupied by those groups on the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ptolemaiida
Ptolemaiida is a taxon of wolf-sized afrothere mammals that lived in northern and eastern Africa during the Paleogene. The oldest fossils are from the latest Eocene strata of the Jebel Qatrani Formation, near the Fayum oasis in Egypt. A tooth is known from an Oligocene-aged stratum in Angola, and Miocene specimens (of '' Kelba'') are known from Kenya and Uganda The origin of the Ptolemaiida is obscure, and debated. The type species was originally thought to be a primate, but, later, when elongated skulls with long canines of ''Ptolemaia'' and '' Qarunavus'' were found, they were then thought to be hyaenodontids, or giant, carnivorous relatives of the pantolestids '' Palaeosinopa'', and of modern shrews The family Ptolemaiidae was elevated to order level in 1995, although some experts later placed the Ptolemaiidae within the pantolestids. Recently, Ptolemaiida has been placed within Afrotheria on the basis of paleobiology, as the taxon was endemic to Africa, and because of so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hyrax
Hyraxes (), also called dassies, are small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. Hyraxes are well-furred, rotund animals with short tails. Typically, they measure between long and weigh between . They are superficially similar to pikas and marmots, but are more closely related to elephants and sea cows. Hyraxes have a life span from 9 to 14 years. Five extant species are recognised: the rock hyrax (''Procavia capensis'') and the yellow-spotted rock hyrax (''Heterohyrax brucei''), which both live on rock outcrops, including cliffs in Ethiopia and isolated granite outcrops called koppies in southern Africa; the western tree hyrax (''Dendrohyrax dorsalis''), southern tree hyrax (''D. arboreus''), and eastern tree hyrax (''D. validus''). Their distribution is limited to Africa, except for ''P. capensis'', which is also found in the Middle East. Characteristics Hyraxes retain or have redeveloped a number of primitive mammalian characteristics; in particular, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pliohyracidae
Hyraxes (), also called dassies, are small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. Hyraxes are well-furred, rotund animals with short tails. Typically, they measure between long and weigh between . They are superficially similar to pikas and marmots, but are more closely related to elephants and sea cows. Hyraxes have a life span from 9 to 14 years. Five extant species are recognised: the rock hyrax (''Procavia capensis'') and the yellow-spotted rock hyrax (''Heterohyrax brucei''), which both live on rock outcrops, including cliffs in Ethiopia and isolated granite outcrops called koppies in southern Africa; the western tree hyrax (''Dendrohyrax dorsalis''), southern tree hyrax (''D. arboreus''), and eastern tree hyrax (''D. validus''). Their distribution is limited to Africa, except for ''P. capensis'', which is also found in the Middle East. Characteristics Hyraxes retain or have redeveloped a number of primitive mammalian characteristics; in particular, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plesiopithecus
''Plesiopithecus '' is an extinct genus of early strepsirrhine primate from the late Eocene. Anatomy Originally described from the right mandible (lower jaw), its confusing anatomy resulted in it being classified as an ape—its name translates "near ape". ''Plesiopithecus teras'', the only species so far identified, was discovered in 1992 by Elwyn L. Simons in Egypt at the base of the Jebel Qatrani Formation at Fayum in quarry L-41. Within two years, a more complete, crushed skull was found, demonstrating that it was a strepsirrhine primate. It is thought to be a close relative of lemuriforms ( extant strepsirrhines), and a sister group to either lorisoids or all lemuriforms. ''Plesiopithecus'' was a medium-sized strepsirrhine primate, with large orbits, a high muzzle, and a skull exhibiting klinorhynchy (a marked angle between the palate and the basicranium, or the lower region of the braincase). Its large orbits indicate that it was nocturnal, and its teeth suggest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pseudoungulate
Pseudoungulata, or "false hoofed mammals", is a possible clade made up of two subgroups, aardvarks and paenungulates ( hyraxes, elephants, and sirenians). Before this group was proposed, it was thought that aardvarks were more closely related to xenarthrans. However, all of these mammals are now considered to be part of Afrotheria, which also includes elephant shrews and afrosoricida The order Afrosoricida (a Latin-Greek compound name which means "looking like African shrews") contains the golden moles of Southern Africa, the otter shrews of equatorial Africa and the tenrecs of Madagascar. These three families of small mamm ...ns. Other positions of aardvarks within Afrotheria are possible, such as being closest relatives of elephant shrews and/or afrosoricidans. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q2570368 Obsolete mammal taxa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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