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Xiphodontidae

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Extinct family of mammals

Xiphodontidae
Temporal range: 40.4–28.1 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Drawing of Xiphodon by Georges Cuvier
Life restoration of Xiphodon
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: †Xiphodontidae
Flower, 1883
Genera

†Dichodon
†Haplomeryx
†Paraxiphodon
†Xiphodon

Xiphodontidae is an extinct family of herbivorous even-toed ungulates (order Artiodactyla), endemic to Europe during the Eocene 40.4—33.9 million years ago, existing for about 7.5 million years. Paraxiphodon suggests that they survived into the Lower Oligocene, at least.

Description

The molar teeth of xiphodontids are brachydont (low crowned) and selenodont.

Taxonomy

The Xiphodontidae were named by Flower (1883). It was assigned to Artiodactyla by Cope (1889); to Xiphodontoidea by Hooker (1986); and to Tylopoda by Carroll (1988). A 2020 study suggested them to be related to ruminants, as well as other Europe-endemic artiodactyls like Cainotheriidae and Anoplotheriidae.

References

  1. PaleoBiology Database: Xiphodontidae, basic info
  2. Prothero, D.R.; Foss, S.E. (2007). The Evolution of Artiodactyls. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9780801887352. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
  3. Blondel, C (April 2001). "The Eocene–Oligocene ungulates from Western Europe and their environment". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 168 (1–2): 125–139. doi:10.1016/S0031-0182(00)00252-2.
  4. J. J. Hooker. 1986. Mammals from the Bartonian (middle/late Eocene) of the Hampshire Basin, southern England. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) 39(4):191-478
  5. R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W. H. Freeman and Company, New York 1-698
  6. Luccisano, Vincent; Sudre, Jean; Lihoreau, Fabrice (2020-10-01). "Revision of the Eocene artiodactyls (Mammalia, Placentalia) from Aumelas and Saint-Martin-de-Londres (Montpellier limestones, Hérault, France) questions the early European artiodactyl radiation". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 18 (19): 1631–1656. doi:10.1080/14772019.2020.1799253. ISSN 1477-2019. S2CID 221468663.
Taxon identifiers
Xiphodontidae
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