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Planetetherium
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| Planetetherium Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Dermoptera |
| Family: | †Plagiomenidae |
| Genus: | †Planetetherium Simpson, 1928 |
| Species: | †P. mirabile
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| Binomial name | |
| †Planetetherium mirabile Simpson, 1928
| |
Planetetherium is an extinct genus of herbivorous gliding mammal endemic to North America during the Paleogene living from 56.8 to 55.4 mya, existing for approximately 1.4 million years.[1]
Fossils have been discovered in strata formed from ancient cypress forests, suggesting that this was the animal's preferred habitat.
Morphology
[edit]Plantetherium is estimated to reach around 25 centimetres (10 in) in length, and its known materials closely resembled that of its modern relatives. Its teeth already included the comb-like structure distinctive to modern colugos. Since no postcranial materials have been described for any plagiomenid,[2] there is no direct evidence that Planetetherium had the membrane of skin that allows modern colugos to glide, but this was likely the case.[3]
References
[edit]
- ^ PaleoBiology Database: Planetetherium, basic info
- ^ Rose, Kenneth D. (2008-01-01), "Plagiomenidae and Mixodectidae", Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America: Volume 2: Small Mammals, Xenarthrans, and Marine Mammals, Cambridge University Press, pp. 198–206, retrieved 2025-02-24
- ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 210. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
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