Gelocidae
| Gelocidae Temporal range: Priabonian-Messinian,
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Gelocus communis mandibles, Museum of Natural History Basel | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Tragulina |
| Family: | †Gelocidae Schlosser, 1886 |
| Genera | |
The Gelocidae are an extinct family of hornless ruminantia that are estimated to have lived during the Eocene and Oligocene epochs, from 36 MYA to 6 MYA. The family generally includes ruminants with dental traits of both the Tragulina and Pecora, making it a notorious wastebasket taxon with unresolved affinities.
Description
[edit]Members of the family Gelocidae were long-legged, even-toed ungulates adapted for running and grazing. The Gelocidae likely share a close common ancestor with Moschidae and were of a similar size and shape. They had similar dentition and proportions to members of Moschidae, but lacked the sabre-like tusks of the modern musk deer.
Bibliography
[edit]Webb, S. D.; Taylor, B. E. (31 December 1980). "The phylogeny of hornless ruminants and a description of the cranium of Archaeomeryx". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 167: 117–158. Retrieved 21 July 2016.