Paschatherium

Paschatherium
Temporal range: Paleocene to Eocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Family: †Hyopsodontidae
Genus: †Paschatherium
Russel, 1963
Type species
†Paschatherium russelli
Species
  • P. marianae
  • P. plaziati
  • P. russelli[1]

Paschatherium is a small extinct mammal of the Perissodactyla order, with an insectivore-like dentition. Its morphology indicates an arboreal form, adapted climbing and running on trees. Paschatherium must have been extremely numerous in the latest Paleocene and earliest Eocene of Europe, since it makes up the majority of all mammal fossils in some fossil sites.[2]

Paschatherium has been viewed as a possible ancestor of our modern elephants, sea cows and hyraxes.[3] However, a 2014 cladistic analysis places it within stem perissodactyls.[4]

  1. ^ Paleobiology Database
  2. ^ Paleocene mammals of the world
  3. ^ Agusti, Jordi; Anton, Mauricio (2002). Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids: 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-11640-3..
  4. ^ Cooper, L. N.; Seiffert, E. R.; Clementz, M.; Madar, S. I.; Bajpai, S.; Hussain, S. T.; Thewissen, J. G. M. (2014-10-08). "Anthracobunids from the Middle Eocene of India and Pakistan Are Stem Perissodactyls". PLOS ONE. 9 (10): e109232. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...9j9232C. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109232. PMC 4189980. PMID 25295875.