In Depth Chilcacetus is a genus of toothed whale that lived in the waters around South America during the Miocene. Further Reading - A new archaic homodont toothed cetacean (Mammalia, Cetacea, Odontoceti) from the early Miocene of Peru. - Geodiversitas 37(1):79-108. - O. Lambert, C. de Muizon & G. Bianucci - 2015.
In Depth Cachiyacuy is recognised as one of the earliest known occurrences of the Caviomorpha, a group of rodent mammals that is best known today for including chinchillas and guinea pigs. Another caviomorph from the same Formation as well as being named in the same year as Cachiyacuy is Canaanimys. Further Reading - Middle Eocene … Read more
In Depth Archaeopotamus is a genus of hippopotamuses that lived in Africa and the Middle East. Fossils of Archaeopotamus begin to appear in the late Miocene, making Archaeopotamus one of, perhaps even the oldest hippopotamus known. Further Reading – The Taxonomy and Nomenclature of the Hippopotamidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) and a Description of Two New Fossil … Read more
In Depth Sectisodon is a genus of creodont that lived in Africa during the early Miocene. Further Reading - New Hyaenodonts (Ferae, Mammalia) from the early Miocene of Napak (Uganda), Koru (Kenya) and Grillental (Namibia). - Fossil Imprint 73(3-4):332-359. - J. Morales and M. Pickford - 2017.
In Depth Although only named from isolated teeth, Afrasia was still a significant discovery because the teeth were those of an eosimiid primate. The discovery of Afrasia in Asia lends weight to the theory that the eosimiids evoled in Asia and then radiated out into Africa, though this is still a controversial theory with many … Read more
In Depth Further Reading - Taxonomy and detailed description of Zaglossus hacketti. - Records of the Western Australian Museum 1(3):244-248. - L. Glauert - 1914.
In Depth Sometimes confused with the similarly named ichthyosaur Eurhinosaurus, Eurhinodelphis was a Miocene era cetacean that resembled a long snouted dolphin. Another similarity to dolphins is the asymmetrical brain which means one side was different than the other. Additionally Eurhinodelphis had extremely well developed hearing and is considered to have possibly hunted by echolocation. … Read more
In Depth Further Reading – Third contribution to the Snake Creek Fauna. – Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 50:59-210. – W. D. Matthew – 1924. – The Ground Sloth Megalonyx from Pleistocene Deposits of the Old Crow Basin, Yukon, Canada. – Arctic (Calgary, Alberta: The Arctic Institute of North America) 53 (3): … Read more
In Depth Hippidion is one of the first known horses to actually enter South America, but interestingly while it has been regarded as being directly descended from primitive forms such as Pliohippus, more modern analysis actually draws a link to the Equidae, the group that includes modern horses. One thing that makes Hippidion stand out … Read more
In Depth Despite the name, Borhyaena was in no way related to hyenas, but was instead one of the larger predatory marsupials that roamed South America during the early/mid Miocene periods. As the type genus of the Borhyaenidae, Borhyaena represents one of the main kinds of predators active in South America until they were ultimately … Read more