Xiphodontidae Explained

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.^[1] Paraxiphodon suggests that they survived into the Lower Oligocene, at least.^[2]

Description

The molar teeth of xiphodontids are brachydont (low crowned) and selenodont.^[3]

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).^{[4] [5]} A 2020 study suggested them to be related to ruminants, as well as other Europe-endemic artiodactyls like Cainotheriidae and Anoplotheriidae.^[6]

Notes and References

1. http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=42564&is_real_user=1 PaleoBiology Database: Xiphodontidae, basic info
2. Book: The Evolution of Artiodactyls. Prothero, D.R.. Foss, S.E.. 2007. Johns Hopkins University Press. 9780801887352. 2014-10-08.
3. Blondel . C . April 2001 . The Eocene–Oligocene ungulates from Western Europe and their environment . Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology . en . 168 . 1–2 . 125–139 . 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 . en . 18 . 19 . 1631–1656 . 10.1080/14772019.2020.1799253 . 221468663 . 1477-2019.