Biology:Apterodon

Apterodon Temporal range: Mid Eocene–Oligocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Two views of the skull of A. macrognathus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	†Hyaenodonta
Family:	†Hyainailouridae
Subfamily:	†Apterodontinae
Genus:	†Apterodon Fischer, 1880
Type species
Apterodon gaudryi Fischer, 1880
Species
A. altidens Schlosser, 1910 A. gaudryi Fischer, 1880 A. langebadreae Grohé et al. 2012 A. macrognathus (Andrews, 1904) A. intermedius Lange-Badré & Böhme, 2005 A. saghensis Simons & Gingerich, 1976
Synonyms
Dasyurodon Andreae 1887

Apterodon is an extinct genus of Hyaenodontid mammal that lived from the mid Eocene through the Oligocene epoch. With the exception of the type species, A. gaudryi all species of Apterodon are known from Africa. It is closely related to the African Quasiapterodon, and the two genera comprise the Hyaenodontid subfamily Apterodontinae.

Uniquely among hyaenodontids, it was a semi-aquatic, fossorial mammal. It possessed strong forelimbs that were well equipped for digging, compared to those of modern badgers, while the tail, torso and hindlimbs show adaptations similar to those of other aquatic mammals like otters and pinnipeds. The dentition was suited to feed on hard-shelled invertebrate prey, such as crustaceans and shellfish. It probably lived along African coastlines.

Borths and Stevens (2017) described a new specimen of Apterodon macrognathus (among with other hyaenodonts) and concluded that the dental eruption of secondary dentition occurred much slower than in Carnivora.

References

Wikidata ☰ Q16829800 entry