''Diacodexis'' is an extinct genus of small

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

s belonging to the family Dichobunidae which lived in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, Europe and Pakistan from 55.4

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to 46.2 mya and existing for approximately .

Description

''Diacodexis'' is the oldest known even-toed ungulate. In life, it would have resembled a modern

duiker A duiker is a small to medium-sized brown antelope native to sub-Saharan Africa, found in heavily wooded areas. The 22 extant species, including three sometimes considered to be subspecies of the other species, form the subfamily Cephalophina ...

, measuring about in body length, but with a much longer tail. Unlike most later species of artiodactyl, it still had five toes on each foot, although the third and fourth toes were already elongated. It may also have had small hooves on each toe. Its teeth suggest that it was a herbivorous browser. As suggested by its long legs, ''Diacodexis'' is believed to have been fast-running, capable of leaping relatively far.

Morphology

Fossil specimens of four individuals' body mass were examined by . *Specimen 1: *Specimen 2: *Specimen 3: *Specimen 4:

Fossil distribution

Diacodexis was widespread, with fossils having been found in Pakistan, Europe, and North America.

References

Bibliography

* * Dichobunids Eocene even-toed ungulates Ypresian life Lutetian life Wasatchian Bridgerian Eocene mammals of Asia Paleogene India Fossils of India Fossils of Kyrgyzstan Fossils of Pakistan Eocene mammals of Europe Paleogene Belgium Fossils of Belgium Paleogene England Fossils of England Paleogene France Fossils of France Paleogene Portugal Fossils of Portugal Paleogene Spain Fossils of Spain Eocene mammals of North America Fossils of the United States Paleontology in Colorado Paleontology in Mississippi Paleontology in New Mexico Paleontology in North Dakota Paleontology in Wyoming Fossil taxa described in 1882 Taxa named by Edward Drinker Cope Prehistoric even-toed ungulate genera {{paleo-eventoedungulate-stub