Phiomia
Phiomia | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Proboscidea |
Suborder: | Elephantiformes |
Family: | †Phiomiidae |
Genus: | †Phiomia |
Species | |
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Phiomia is an extinct genus of basal proboscid that lived in what is now Northern Africa during the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene some 37–30 million years ago.[1] "Phiomia serridens" means "saw-toothed animal of Faiyum".
Description[]
Phiomia was around 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high,[2] and vaguely resembled a modern elephant, although, based on the shape of its nasal bones, it had only a very short trunk. It had short tusks on the upper jaw and also short shovel-like tusks on the lower jaw that were most likely used for gathering food. These were similar to those of the Miocene Platybelodon, Archaeobelodon, and Amebelodon, but considerably smaller. The tusks in the upper jaw may have been used in defence,[2] or scraping bark off trees.
Life reconstruction of Phiomia serridens[citation needed]
Restoration
Phiomia minor skull and model
References[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Phiomia. |
- ^ Strauss, B. Prehistoric Elephant Pictures and Profiles
- ^ Jump up to: a b Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 239. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
- Elephantiformes
- Prehistoric placental genera
- Eocene mammals of Africa
- Oligocene mammals of Africa
- Eocene proboscideans
- Oligocene proboscideans
- Priabonian genus first appearances
- Rupelian genus extinctions
- Fossil taxa described in 1902
- Prehistoric afrotherian stubs