Protobradys ("early slowness") is an extinct genus of mammal of unknown affinities from the Early Eocene (Casamayoran SALMA, around 50–48 mya) of Chubut Province, Argentina. It was described in 1902 by prolific Argentine paleontologist Florentino Ameghino on the basis of an isolated left maxilla (upper jaw bone) and an erroneously referred tooth.[1][2] Ameghino described the genus as the earliest known member of Pilosa (sloths),[1] though this assessment has not been supported and later authors believe that it is a nomen vanum of uncertain affinities within Mammalia.[3][2]
| Protobradys armonicus Temporal range: Early Eocene,
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Clade: | Mammaliaformes |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Genus: | †Protobradys Ameghino, 1902 |
| Species: | †P. armonicus
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| Binomial name | |
| †Protobradys armonicus Ameghino, 1902
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References
edit- ^ a b Ameghino, F. (1902). Notices préliminaires sur des mammifères nouveaux des terrains crétacés de Patagonie (Vol. 17). Impr. Coni Fréres.
- ^ a b Simpson, G. G. (1967). The beginning of the age of mammals in South America. Part 2, Systematics: Notoungulata, concluded (Typotheria, Hegetotheria, Toxodonta, Notoungulata incertae sedis), Astrapotheria, Trigonostylopoidea, Pyrotheria, Xenungulata, Mammalia incertae sedis. Bulletin of the AMNH; v. 137.
- ^ Pujos, François; De Iuliis, Gerardo (2007-03-12). "Late Oligocene Megatherioidea fauna (Mammalia: Xenarthra) from Salla-Luribay (Bolivia): new data on basal sloth radiation and Cingulata-Tardigrada split". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (1): 132–144. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[132:LOMFMX]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634.