| Potamotherium Fossil range: Miocene | |
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| Scientific classification
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Class |
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Order |
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Family |
Mustelidae |
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Subfamily |
Oligobuninae |
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Genus |
Potamotherium |
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Potamotherium ('river beast') is an extinct genus of mustelids or early pinniped that existed during the Miocene period.
The genus was first described in 1833. In 1988 it was assigned to the family Mustelidae and the subfamily Oligobuninae. One species has been identified in the genus: P. miocenicum.[1]
Classification[]
The genus was first described in 1833. Carroll (1988) assigned it to the family Mustelidae as a member of the subfamily Oligobuninae. However, it was recently suggested that Potamotherium was not a mustelid at all, but rather a very basal pinniped. Berta et al. (2018) placed Potamotherium along with Puijila and Semantor in the family Semantoridae.
Two species have been identified in the genus: P. valletoni, the type species, and P. miocenicum.
Distribution[]
Finds range from the mid-latitudes of Europe and North America, dated from Oligocene/Miocene boundary and surviving through to the end of the Miocene.[2][3] It has been interpreted as a basal, non-marine ancestor of seals and sea lions, suggesting a freshwater phase in the evolutionary transition of pinnipeds from land to sea. The relatives of Potamotherium was possibly early bears (whose ancestors at the time where small and generally weasel-like).[4]
Paleoecology[]
Physically, Potamotherium resembled a modern otter, and was 1.5 meters (5 ft) long, with an elongated, slender body and short legs. With a flexible backbone and a streamlined shape, it was probably a good swimmer. Analysis of fossils suggests that Potamotherium had a poor sense of smell, but made up for this with good vision and hearing.[5]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ "Potamotherium at the Paleobiology Database.". paleodb.org. http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=41157. Retrieved on 2008-11-25.
- ^ Tedford, R. H. et al. (2004): Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic Mammals of North America (ed. Woodburne, M. O.), pp 169–231 (Columbia Univ. Press, 2004)
- ^ Mörs, T. & Von Koenigswald, W. (2000): Potamotherium valletoni (Carnivora, Mammalia) aus dem Oberoligozän von Enspel im Westerwald. Senckenberg. Leth. no 80: pp 257–273
- ^ Rybczynski, N., Dawson, M.R & Tedford, R.H. (2009): A semi-aquatic Arctic mammalian carnivore from the Miocene epoch and origin of Pinnipedia. Nature no 458, pp 1021-1024. Full text
- ^ Palmer, D., ed (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 215. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.