The type species is Protapirus priscus from the Late Oligocene of Quercy, France.[3]Protapirus is often considered the earliest true tapir, or at least a tapiroid that is the direct ancestor of the true tapir family.[4]
Distribution and historyedit
Skull of Protapirus sp.
The oldest species is the North American P. simplex from the White River Formation. A later North American species is P. obliquidens From North America, the genus spread into Eurasia during the Oligocene,[5] with five species known from the Oligocene and Miocene of Europe and a single species (P. gromovae) from Kazakhstan.[6]
Descriptionedit
Restoration of P. simplex without trunk
They were of similar size to modern tapirs, but had more primitive features, such as premolars that were less molariform in shape. In comparison to more primitive tapiroids, Protapirus had retracted nasal region which may indicate the presence of a trunk.[7] However, the nasals were not as shortened as in modern tapirs, so the proboscis would have likely been less prominent.[8]
Referencesedit
^. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021.
^Cerdeño, E.; Ginsburg, L. (1988). "European Oligocene and early Miocene Tapiridae (Perissodactyla, Mammalia)". Annales de Paléontologie. 74 (2): 71–96.
^Stanley, S.M. (2012). Living Fossils. Springer New York. ISBN9781461382713.
^Bayshashov, Bolat U. (2011). "Records of TAPIROIDEA GRAY, 1825 (Mammalia, Perissodactyla) from KAZAKHSTAN – AN OVERVIEW". Acta Palaeontologica Romaniae. 7: 1–7.
^Agustí, Jordi; Antón, Mauricio (2002). Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids: 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe. Columbia University Press. p. 91. ISBN9780231116411.
^Benton, Rachel C. (2015). The White River Badlands: Geology and Paleontology. Indiana University Press. p. 156. ISBN9780253016089.
January 01, 1970
protapirus, latin, before, brazilian, indian, tapir, tapira, extinct, genus, tapir, known, from, oligocene, miocene, north, america, eurasia, temporal, range, preꞒ, early, oligocene, early, miocene, mandible, priscus, scientific, classification, domain, eukary. Protapirus Latin before pro Brazilian Indian tapir tapira 1 is an extinct genus of tapir known from the Oligocene and Miocene of North America and Eurasia 2 ProtapirusTemporal range 33 9 20 6 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Early Oligocene Early Miocene Mandible of Protapirus priscus Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Perissodactyla Family Tapiridae Genus ProtapirusFilhol 1877 Type species Protapirus priscusFilhol 1874 Species P aginensis P bavaricus P cetinensis P douvillei P gromovae P obliquidens syn Tanyops undans P priscus P simplex syn P validus Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Distribution and history 3 Description 4 ReferencesTaxonomy editThe type species is Protapirus priscus from the Late Oligocene of Quercy France 3 Protapirus is often considered the earliest true tapir or at least a tapiroid that is the direct ancestor of the true tapir family 4 Distribution and history edit nbsp Skull of Protapirus sp The oldest species is the North American P simplex from the White River Formation A later North American species is P obliquidens From North America the genus spread into Eurasia during the Oligocene 5 with five species known from the Oligocene and Miocene of Europe and a single species P gromovae from Kazakhstan 6 Description edit nbsp Restoration of P simplex without trunk They were of similar size to modern tapirs but had more primitive features such as premolars that were less molariform in shape In comparison to more primitive tapiroids Protapirus had retracted nasal region which may indicate the presence of a trunk 7 However the nasals were not as shortened as in modern tapirs so the proboscis would have likely been less prominent 8 References edit Glossary American Museum of Natural History Archived from the original on 20 November 2021 The Paleobiology Database Cerdeno E Ginsburg L 1988 European Oligocene and early Miocene Tapiridae Perissodactyla Mammalia Annales de Paleontologie 74 2 71 96 Stanley S M 2012 Living Fossils Springer New York ISBN 9781461382713 Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 18 1 2 1998 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Missing or empty title help full citation needed Bayshashov Bolat U 2011 Records of TAPIROIDEA GRAY 1825 Mammalia Perissodactyla from KAZAKHSTAN AN OVERVIEW Acta Palaeontologica Romaniae 7 1 7 Agusti Jordi Anton Mauricio 2002 Mammoths Sabertooths and Hominids 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe Columbia University Press p 91 ISBN 9780231116411 Benton Rachel C 2015 The White River Badlands Geology and Paleontology Indiana University Press p 156 ISBN 9780253016089 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Protapirus amp oldid 1192679923, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
