Villarroelia

Extinct genus of litopterns

Villarroelia
Temporal range: Middle Miocene (Laventan) 13.8–11.8 Ma
PreꞒ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Litopterna
Family: Proterotheriidae
Genus: Villarroelia
Cifelli and Guerrero Diaz, 1997
Species:
V. totoyoi
Binomial name
Villarroelia totoyoi
Cifelli and Guerrero Diaz, 1997

Villarroelia is an extinct genus of proterotheriid from the Middle Miocene of Colombia.

Etymology

The genus name, Villarroelia refers to the paleontologist Carlos Villarroel, for his contributions to the understanding of prehistoric South American mammals, while the specific name, V. toyotoi refers to the indigenous chief Toyotó, whose tribe was present in the area of the Villavieja River, in the present-day Huila Department in Colombia, where its fossils were discovered in sediments corresponding to the La Victoria Formation, belonging to the Honda Group of the Middle Miocene.[1]

Description

This animal is known from the holotype specimen IGM 250965, a partial skull lacking the anterior rostrum, although it retains the roots of the upper first premolar (P1), and some additional remains, including another skull, UCMP 39970, several molar teeth, fragments of the mandible, two cervical vertebrae, the right scapula, a distal end of the radius, the proximal end of the right femur, the left tibia, the calcaneus and several phalanges of the fingers. [1] Its remains indicate that it was a running herbivore similar in shape and size to the southern genera Proterotherium and Anisolophus, although it had a greater degree of molarization of its premolar teeth, especially P3 and P4. Given that its remains show a mixture of primitive and advanced features it is difficult to say whether these resemblances correspond to their actual phylogenetics, awaiting more comprehensive analyses of the family Proterotheriidae.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Cifelli, R. L. and Guerrero, J. (1997). Litopterns. In: Vertebrate Paleontology in the Neotropics: The Miocene Fauna of La Venta, Colombia (R. Kay, R. H. Madden, R. L. Cifelli, and J. J. Flynn, eds.). Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington and London, 289-302.
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Xenungulata, Pyrotheria, Astrapotheria, and other minor groups
Kollpaniidae?
  • Andinodus
  • Molinodus
  • Pucanodus
  • Simoclaenus
  • Tiuclaenus
Didolodontidae
Xenungulata
Carodniidae
Pyrotheria
Colombitheriidae
Pyrotheriidae
Astrapotheria
Trigonostylopidae
Astrapotheriidae
Albertogaudryinae
Astrapotheriinae
Uruguaytheriinae
Carodnia vieirai

Pyrotherium romeroi

Astrapotherium magnum
Litopterna
Protolipternidae
Amilnedwardsiidae
Sparnotheriodontidae
Indaleciidae
Notonychopidae
Lopholipterna
Adianthidae
Macraucheniidae
Cramaucheniinae
Macraucheniinae
Proterotheriidae
Anisolambdinae
Proterotheriinae
Megadolodinae
Uncertain placement
Theosodon garretorum

Macrauchenia patachonica

Diadiaphorus majusculus
incertae sedis
Notioprogonia
  • Satshatemnus
  • Seudenius
Henricosborniidae
Notostylopidae
Toxodontia
Homalodotheriidae
Isotemnidae
Eutoxodontia
Leontiniidae
Notohippidae
Toxodontidae
Nesodontinae
Toxodontinae
Typotheria
Archaeopithecidae
Oldfieldthomasiidae
Interatheriidae
Interatheriinae
Notopithecinae
Mesotheriidae
Mesotheriinae
Archaeohyracidae
Hegetotheriidae
Hegetotheriinae
Pachyrukhinae
Pachyrukhini
Thomashuxleya rostrata

Huilatherium pluriplicatum

Toxodon platensis
Taxon identifiers
Villarroelia