New remains of Eocene and Oligocene Afrosoricida (Afrotheria) from Egypt, with implications for the origin(s) of afrosoricid zalambdodonty

Seiffert, Erik R.; Simons, Elwyn L.; Ryan, Timothy M.; Bown, Thomas M.; Attia, Yousry

doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[963:nroeao]2.0.co;2

Cited by 34 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Vertebrate fossils are abundant at L-41 and the fine-grained matrix is capable of preserving small fossils that are delicately prepared from the clay matrix. The larger mammals known from the Fayum fauna, such as anthracotheres and hyraxes (Rasmussen & Simons, 1991) are preserved at L-41, but the quarry is particularly important for preserving the smaller components of the mammalian fauna, such as bats (Gunnell, Simons & Seiffert, 2008), rodents (Sallam, Seiffert & Simons, 2011; Sallam, Seiffert & Simons, 2012; Sallam & Seiffert, 2016), tenrecoids (Seiffert & Simons, 2000; Seiffert et al, 2007) and small primates (Simons, 1990; Simons, 1997; Simons & Rasmussen, 1996; Simons et al, 2001). Complete crania, jaws, and isolated skeletal elements are preserved in abundance, though most are crushed through post-depositional taphonomic processes (Simons, Cornero & Bown, 1998).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hyainailourine and teratodontine cranial material from the late Eocene of Egypt and the application of parsimony and Bayesian methods to the phylogeny and biogeography of Hyaenodonta (Placentalia, Mammalia)

Borths

Holroyd

Seiffert

2016

PeerJ

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Hyaenodonta is a diverse, extinct group of carnivorous mammals that included weasel- to rhinoceros-sized species. The oldest-known hyaenodont fossils are from the middle Paleocene of North Africa and the antiquity of the group in Afro-Arabia led to the hypothesis that it originated there and dispersed to Asia, Europe, and North America. Here we describe two new hyaenodont species based on the oldest hyaenodont cranial specimens known from Afro-Arabia. The material was collected from the latest Eocene Locality 41 (L-41, ∼34 Ma) in the Fayum Depression, Egypt. Akhnatenavus nefertiticyon sp. nov. has specialized, hypercarnivorous molars and an elongate cranial vault. In A. nefertiticyon the tallest, piercing cusp on M1–M2 is the paracone. Brychotherium ephalmos gen. et sp. nov. has more generalized molars that retain the metacone and complex talonids. In B. ephalmos the tallest, piercing cusp on M1–M2 is the metacone. We incorporate this new material into a series of phylogenetic analyses using a character-taxon matrix that includes novel dental, cranial, and postcranial characters, and samples extensively from the global record of the group. The phylogenetic analysis includes the first application of Bayesian methods to hyaenodont relationships. B. ephalmos is consistently placed within Teratodontinae, an Afro-Arabian clade with several generalist and hypercarnivorous forms, and Akhnatenavus is consistently recovered in Hyainailourinae as part of an Afro-Arabian radiation. The phylogenetic results suggest that hypercarnivory evolved independently three times within Hyaenodonta: in Teratodontinae, in Hyainailourinae, and in Hyaenodontinae. Teratodontines are consistently placed in a close relationship with Hyainailouridae (Hyainailourinae + Apterodontinae) to the exclusion of “proviverrines,” hyaenodontines, and several North American clades, and we propose that the superfamily Hyainailouroidea be used to describe this relationship. Using the topologies recovered from each phylogenetic method, we reconstructed the biogeographic history of Hyaenodonta using parsimony optimization (PO), likelihood optimization (LO), and Bayesian Binary Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) to examine support for the Afro-Arabian origin of Hyaenodonta. Across all analyses, we found that Hyaenodonta most likely originated in Europe, rather than Afro-Arabia. The clade is estimated by tip-dating analysis to have undergone a rapid radiation in the Late Cretaceous and Paleocene; a radiation currently not documented by fossil evidence. During the Paleocene, lineages are reconstructed as dispersing to Asia, Afro-Arabia, and North America. The place of origin of Hyainailouroidea is likely Afro-Arabia according to the Bayesian topologies but it is ambiguous using parsimony. All topologies support the constituent clades–Hyainailourinae, Apterodontinae, and Teratodontinae–as Afro-Arabian and tip-dating estimates that each clade is established in Afro-Arabia by the middle Eocene.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hyainailourine and teratodontine cranial material from the late Eocene of Egypt and the application of parsimony and Bayesian methods to the phylogeny and biogeography of Hyaenodonta (Placentalia, Mammalia)

Borths

Holroyd

Seiffert

2016

PeerJ

Self Cite

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“…Macroscelidids are older, extending well into the Eocene (Zack et al, 2005;Tabuce et al, 2007). Seiffert and Simons (2001) and Seiffert (2007) suggested that Jawharia, Eochrysochloris, and Widanelfarasia from the Eocene/Oligocene boundary in Egypt might be related to the tenrec-golden mole common ancestor. All of these records are equaled or predated by the oldest paenungulates, in particular proboscideans.…”

Section: Minimummentioning

confidence: 99%

Constraints on the timescale of animal evolutionary history

Benton

Donoghue

Asher

et al. 2015

Palaeontologia Electronica

196

322

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Calibrations published in the Fossil Calibration Series are accessioned into the Fossil Calibration Database (www.fossilcalibrations.org). The Database is a dynamic tool for finding up-to-date calibrations, and calibration data will be updated and annotated as interpretations change. In contrast, the Fossil Calibration papers are a permanent published record of the information on which the calibrations were originally based. Please refer to the Database for the latest data.

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“…(58) The quality of the fossil record of some afrotherian lineages, such as proboscideans, hyracoids and sirenians, is relatively good, (48,(59)(60)(61) and while that of other afrotherians is much poorer, it too is benefitting from a steady pace of discovery. (62)(63)(64)(65) Character evolution in southern placentals…”

Section: Afrotheriamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, among living members, no xenarthran and few afrotherians are dentally tribosphenic, although tribospheny is more widely distributed among fossil afrotherians. (60,61,63,64) Afrotherians also exhibit disparity in the timing of dental eruption relative to growth, stemming from a late-erupting adult set of teeth and/or unusually rapid growth to adult size. (66,67) In addition, compared to boreoeutherians, southern placentals show much more variation in vertebral formulae.…”

Section: Afrotheriamentioning

confidence: 99%

The new framework for understanding placental mammal evolution

2009

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An unprecedented level of confidence has recently crystallized around a new hypothesis of how living placental mammals share a pattern of common descent. The major groups are afrotheres (e.g., aardvarks, elephants), xenarthrans (e.g., anteaters, sloths), laurasiatheres (e.g., horses, shrews), and euarchontoglires (e.g., humans, rodents). Compared with previous hypotheses this tree is remarkably stable; however, some uncertainty persists about the location of the placental root, and (for example) the position of bats within laurasiatheres, of sea cows and aardvarks within afrotheres, and of dermopterans within euarchontoglires. A variety of names for sub‐clades within the new placental mammal tree have been proposed, not all of which follow conventions regarding priority and stability. More importantly, the new phylogenetic framework enables the formulation of new hypotheses and testing thereof, for example regarding the possible developmental dichotomy that seems to distinguish members of the newly identified southern and northern radiations of living placental mammals.

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New remains of Eocene and Oligocene Afrosoricida (Afrotheria) from Egypt, with implications for the origin(s) of afrosoricid zalambdodonty

Cited by 34 publications

References 34 publications

Hyainailourine and teratodontine cranial material from the late Eocene of Egypt and the application of parsimony and Bayesian methods to the phylogeny and biogeography of Hyaenodonta (Placentalia, Mammalia)

Hyainailourine and teratodontine cranial material from the late Eocene of Egypt and the application of parsimony and Bayesian methods to the phylogeny and biogeography of Hyaenodonta (Placentalia, Mammalia)

Constraints on the timescale of animal evolutionary history

The new framework for understanding placental mammal evolution

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