Scarrittia
Scarrittia | |
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S. canquelensis fossil | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | †Notoungulata |
Family: | †Leontiniidae |
Genus: | †Scarrittia Simpson 1934 |
Type species | |
†Scarrittia canquelensis Simpson 1934
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Species | |
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Scarrittia is an extinct genus of hoofed mammal of the family Leontiniidae, native to South America during the Late Oligocene epoch (Deseadan in the SALMA classification).
Description
[edit]Scarrittia was about 2 metres (6.6 ft) in body length, and resembled a rhinoceros with a relatively long body and neck. It had three hoofed toes on each foot, and a very short tail. Due to a fused tibia and fibula, Scarrittia would have been unable to turn its legs sideways. The short skull had 44 poorly specialized teeth.[1]
Natural history
[edit]This was a very successful genus with various known species, such as Scarrittia robusta, S. barranquensis and S. canquelensis, which lived around 30 million years ago. They lived in moist forest, near the coast, in wetlands, lakes, swamps, etc. and they ate soft vegetation, grasses, fruits and trees. Some species were omnivorous, eating also eggs and small mammals. They were not adapted for running, though their large size meant they had few enemies.
Distribution
[edit]Fossils of Scarrittia have been found in:[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 252. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
- ^ Scarrittia at Fossilworks.org
- Toxodonts
- Oligocene mammals of South America
- Deseadan
- Oligocene Argentina
- Fossils of Argentina
- Oligocene Uruguay
- Fossils of Uruguay
- Fossil taxa described in 1934
- Taxa named by George Gaylord Simpson
- Prehistoric placental genera
- Golfo San Jorge Basin
- Paraná Basin
- Sarmiento Formation
- Fray Bentos Formation
- Paleogene Argentina
- Notoungulate stubs