''Thoatheriopsis'' is an extinct genus of
proterotheriid from the
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
of
Mendoza Province
Mendoza, officially Province of Mendoza, is a province of Argentina, in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders San Juan to the north, La Pampa and Neuquén to the south, San Luis to the east, and the republic o ...
,
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. The taxon is known only from the specimen MLP 81-XI-28-1, which includes an upper tooth row, and was named as the new binomial ''Thoatheriopsis mendocensis'' by Miguel Soria posthumously in 2001. The only provenance information known about the specimen is that it comes from the Anfiteatro de Cacheuta, and it is probably from the
Mariño Formation, of which it could be from either the Areniscas Entrecruzadas or the Estratos de Mariño Member, which are both present at the known location of discovery. This means that the age for ''Thoatheriopsis'' cannot be determined beyond either being from the
Santacrucian
The Santacrucian age is a period of geologic time (17.5 – 16.3 Ma) within the Early Miocene epoch of the Neogene, used more specifically with SALMA classification in South America. It follows the Colhuehuapian and precedes the Friasian age.
...
or
Laventan
The Laventan ( es, Laventense) age is a period of geologic time (13.8 to 11.8 Ma) within the Middle Miocene epoch of the Neogene, used more specifically within the SALMA classification in South America. It follows the Colloncuran and precedes ...
South American Land Mammal Ages in the Early or Middle Miocene. ''Thoatheriopsis'' was found to be a close relative of ''
Diadiaphorus
''Diadiaphorus'' is an extinct genus of litoptern mammal from the Miocene of Argentina ( Ituzaingó, Pinturas, Chiquimil and Santa Cruz Formations) and Bolivia ( Nazareno Formation), South America.
Description
''Diadiaphorus'' closely rese ...
'' and ''
Neobrachytherium
''Neobrachytherium'' is an extinct genus of proterotheriid mammal from the Late Miocene of Argentina and Uruguay. It is represented by multiple species, including the type ''N. intermedium'', originally named in 1891 by Moreno and Mercerat as a ...
''.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q111838967
Litopterns
Miocene mammals of South America