Notostylops Explained

Notostylops ("south pillar face") is a genus of extinct South American ungulates from Eocene Argentina. Fossils of the genus have been found in the Sarmiento, Casamayor, Andesitas Huancache and Koluel Kaike Formations.[1]

Description

Notostylops was a very generalized animal, very similar to first eutherians and ungulates. It would have superficially resembled a marmot or a wombat and is suspected to have browsed on low-growing plants. It was probably adapted to a fairly wide range of ecological niches, but its robustness indicates it had some digging adaptations.[2] [3] Its tall skull housed rodent-like incisor teeth. Notostylops was about 75cm (30inches) long.[4]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=43339 Notostylops
  2. Book: Croft . Darin . Horned Armadillos and Rafting Monkeys . Indiana University Press.
  3. Lorente . Malena . Gelfo . Javier . Lopez . Guillermo . First skeleton of the notoungulate mammal Notostylops murinus and palaeobiology of Eocene Notostylopidae . Lethaia . 10.1111/let.12310 . 2018 . 52 . 2 . 244–259 . 135127572 .
  4. Book: Palmer, D.. 1999 . The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. Marshall Editions. London. 250. 978-1-84028-152-1.