| Arctostylopidae Temporal range:Late Paleocene-Late Eocene | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Clade: | Gliriformes (?) |
| Order: | †Arctostylopida Cifelliet al., 1989 |
| Family: | †Arctostylopidae Schlosser, 1923 |
| Genera[1] | |
Arctostylopidae is an extinct family ofplacental mammals from the LatePalaeocene of Eastern Asia and North America. All arctostylopid specimens in North America have been referred to the genusArctostylops.
They are animals of uncertain affinities to other groups and it was believed that they may be related to 'ungulates'.[2] Originally they were considered to be northern relatives of South Americannotoungulates, specifically Notostylopidae.
Recently, other palaeontologists have suggested that they might be descendants of Asiangliriforms, and therefore related to rabbits and rodents. This relationship is based upon similarities in the shape of their tarsal (ankle) bones. In particular, arctostylopid tarsals bear a strong resemblance to the early gliroidRhombomylus.[3]
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