Aurimys
Extinct genus of kangaroo rats
| Aurimys Temporal range: Early Miocene | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Heteromyidae |
| Subfamily: | Dipodomyinae |
| Genus: | †Aurimys Samuels, Calede, & Hunt, 2023 |
| Type species | |
| †Aurimys xeros Samuels, Calede, & Hunt, 2023 | |
| Species | |
| |
Aurimys is an extinct genus of kangaroo rats from the Early Miocene of North America. They are known from a single specimen from a 23 million-year-old deposit in Oregon consisting of a nearly complete skull and jawbone, a partial hindfoot and a bone from the tail. It is both the earliest and largest known member of its subfamily, with the skull measuring approximately 4.5 cm (1.8 in) in length, about one third longer than that of the largest living species. The shape of the bones in the foot suggest that, unlike modern species, it was quadrupedal, rather than hopping bipedally.[1]
References
- ^ Samuels, J.X.; Calede, J.J.-M.; Hunt, R.M. (March 2023). "The earliest dipodomyine heteromyid in North America and the phylogenetic relationships of geomorph rodents". PeerJ. 11: e14693. doi:10.7717/peerj.14693. PMC 10007967. PMID 36915658.
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Extant species of family Heteromyidae (subfamily Dipodomyinae)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Rodentia
- Superfamily: Geomyoidea
(Kangaroo rats)
- Agile kangaroo rat (Dipodomys agilis)
- California kangaroo rat (Dipodomys californicus)
- Gulf Coast kangaroo rat (Dipodomys compactus)
- Desert kangaroo rat (Dipodomys deserti)
- Texas kangaroo rat (Dipodomys elator)
- Big-eared kangaroo rat (Dipodomys elephantinus)
- San Quintin kangaroo rat (Dipodomys gravipes)
- Heermann's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys heermanni)
- Giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens)
- San José Island kangaroo rat (Dipodomys insularis)
- Merriam's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami)
- Chisel-toothed kangaroo rat (Dipodomys microps)
- Nelson's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys nelsoni)
- Fresno kangaroo rat (Dipodomys nitratoides)
- Ord's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii)
- Panamint kangaroo rat (Dipodomys panamintinus)
- Phillips's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys phillipsii)
- Dulzura kangaroo rat (Dipodomys simulans)
- Banner-tailed kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spectabilis)
- Stephens's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi)
- Narrow-faced kangaroo rat (Dipodomys venustus)
(Kangaroo mice)
- Dark kangaroo mouse (Microdipodops megacephalus)
- Pale kangaroo mouse (Microdipodops pallidus)
Category
