Cephalomyidae is an extinct family of caviomorph rodents from South America. The specific relationships of the family are uncertain, and affinities to both chinchilloid and cavioid rodents have been supported. Most recently, Kramarz in 2005 performed a phylogenetic analysis supporting a relationship to the Cavioidea, as represented by Eocardiidae, although more recent analyses have placed them among the chinchilloids as relatives of the giant neoepiblemid rodents.[2] McKenna and Bell (1997) questioned the validity of the family, placing the cephalomyid genera then known in Dasyproctidae, but Kramarz (2001) subsequently reasserted the distinctiveness of cephalomyids.
| Cephalomyidae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Mandible of Cephalomys arcidens | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Infraorder: | Hystricognathi |
| Parvorder: | Caviomorpha |
| Superfamily: | Cavioidea |
| Family: | †Cephalomyidae Ameghino 1897 |
| Genera | |
Fossils of the family have been found in Deseadan to Colhuehuapian Fray Bentos, Deseado, Cerro Bandera and Sarmiento Formations and the Colhué Huapí Member of Argentina and the Puca Group of Bolivia.[3]
References
edit
- ^ Kramarz, Alejandro Gustavo (2005). "A primitive cephalomyid hystricognath rodent from the early Miocene of northern Patagonia, Argentina". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 50 (2): 249–258.
- ^ Rasia, L.L.; Candela, A.M.; Cañón, C. (March 2021). "Comprehensive total evidence phylogeny of chinchillids (Rodentia, Caviomorpha): Cheek teeth anatomy and evolution". Journal of Anatomy. 239 (2): 405–423. doi:10.1111/joa.13430. PMC 8273581. PMID 33721329.
- ^ Cephalomyidae at Fossilworks.org
Further reading
edit- F. Ameghino. 1897. Mammiféres crétacés de l’Argentine (Deuxième contribution à la connaissance de la fauna mammalogique de couches à Pyrotherium) [Cretaceous mammals of Argentina (second contribution to the knowledge of the mammalian fauna of the Pyrotherium Beds)]. Boletin Instituto Geografico Argentino 18(4–9):406-521
- Kramarz, A.G. 2001. Revision of the family Cephalomyidae (Rodentia, Caviomorpha) and new cephalomyids from the early Miocene of Patagonia. Palaeovertebrata 30(1-2):51-88.
- McKenna, Malcolm C., and Bell, Susan K. 1997. Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level. Columbia University Press, New York, 631 pp. ISBN 0-231-11013-8
- Vucetich, M.G., Verzi, D.H., and Hartenberger, J.-L. 2001. Review and analysis of the South American Hystricognathi (Mammalia, Rodentia). Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Série IIA 329(10):763-769.
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