Molinodus

Extinct genus of mammals
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Molinodus
Temporal range: Early Paleocene
~66–61.6 Ma
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Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Family: Kollpaniidae
Genus: Molinodus
Muizon & Marshall 1987
Type species
Molinodus suarezi
Muizon & Marshall, 1987
Species
  • M. suarezi Muizon & Marshall 1987

Molinodus is an extinct genus of mammal of uncertain affinities, whose fossils were found at Tiupampa, in Bolivia, in terrains dated from the Paleocene.

Description

Molinodus had bunodont teeth, with low, rounded cusps indicating a fruit-based diet. The only fossils found of Molinodus were teeth fossils. Its size, despite a level of uncertainty due to the fragmentary nature of the remains, has been estimated to 18–30 centimeters, for approximately 250–500 grams.

Classification

Molinodus may be the best known genus of placental mammals found at Tiumpampa. This genus has tentatively been referred to Mioclaenidae, a North American and European clade of so-called "condylarths" whose South American members are sometimes placed within their own family, Kollpaniidae. It is supposed that those South American ungulates were closely related to two groups of South American native ungulates, Litopterna, a group of large-sized ungulates, and Didolodontidae, a family of medium-sized frugivorous ungulates, known only from the Paleocene and Eocene . It is possible that both of these South American endemic groups evolved from ancestors that dispersed from North America.

Bibliography

  • v
  • t
  • e
Xenungulata, Pyrotheria, Astrapotheria, and other minor groups
Kollpaniidae?
  • Andinodus
  • Molinodus
  • Pucanodus
  • Simoclaenus
  • Tiuclaenus
Didolodontidae
Xenungulata
Carodniidae
Pyrotheria
Colombitheriidae
Pyrotheriidae
Astrapotheria
Trigonostylopidae
Astrapotheriidae
Albertogaudryinae
Astrapotheriinae
Uruguaytheriinae
Carodnia vieirai

Pyrotherium romeroi

Astrapotherium magnum
Litopterna
Protolipternidae
Amilnedwardsiidae
Sparnotheriodontidae
Indaleciidae
Notonychopidae
Lopholipterna
Adianthidae
Macraucheniidae
Cramaucheniinae
Macraucheniinae
Proterotheriidae
Anisolambdinae
Proterotheriinae
Megadolodinae
Uncertain placement
Theosodon garretorum

Macrauchenia patachonica

Diadiaphorus majusculus
incertae sedis
Notioprogonia
  • Satshatemnus
  • Seudenius
Henricosborniidae
Notostylopidae
Toxodontia
Homalodotheriidae
Isotemnidae
Eutoxodontia
Leontiniidae
Notohippidae
Toxodontidae
Nesodontinae
Toxodontinae
Typotheria
Archaeopithecidae
Oldfieldthomasiidae
Interatheriidae
Interatheriinae
Notopithecinae
Mesotheriidae
Mesotheriinae
Archaeohyracidae
Hegetotheriidae
Hegetotheriinae
Pachyrukhinae
Pachyrukhini
Thomashuxleya rostrata

Huilatherium pluriplicatum

Toxodon platensis
Taxon identifiers
Molinodus