Apatemys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Apatemys Temporal range: Eocene | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | †Apatotheria |
| Family: | †Apatemyidae |
| Genus: | †Apatemys Marsh, 1872 |
| Species | |
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Apatemys is a member of the family Apatemyidae, an extinct group of small and insectivorous placental mammals that lived in the Paleogene of North America, India, and Europe. While the number of genera and species is less agreed upon, it has been determined that two apatemyid genera, Apatemys and Sinclairella, existed sequentially during the Eocene in North America. The genus Apatemys, living as far back as 50.3 million years ago (mya), existed through part of the Wasatchian and persisted through the Duchesnean, and Sinclairella followed, existing from the Duchesnean through the Arikareean.[1] Examinations of specimens belonging to the genus Apatemys suggest adaptations characteristic of arboreal mammals.[2]
The genus name Apatemys likely derives from the Greek apate meaning “deceit” and mys meaning “mouse”. In Greek mythology, Apate represented deceit and was one of the evil spirits released from Pandora's box. While the Greek word “mys” is used in reference to the mouse-like size of apatemyids, the relationship between the Greek word “apate” and the genus Apatemys is unknown.
Taxonomy
The family Apatemyidae has no sister taxa and has faced much disagreement regarding its origins and affinities. Apatemyids are scarce even in the faunas where they are most often discovered, and constructing a valid taxonomy is challenging since the specimens are typically retrieved in small sample sizes.[1] Early hypotheses for apatemyid affinities include relations to ungulates and rodents, but the most popular early suggestions were classifying them with Insectivora or assigning them to their own order of Apatotheria. It was later proposed that apatemyids belong to the order Cimolesta, which deemed apatemyids more closely related to carnivores than to rodents. However, the relationships of the Apatemyidae continue to be speculated, with connections to other groups like primates being proposed.[3] More valid taxonomic information is known about the genus Apatemys and the species belonging to the genus. Apatemys has 14 sister taxa also belonging to the family Apatemyidae, including Apatemyinae, Asiapator, Carcinella, Eochiromys, Frugivastodon, Heterohyus, Jepsenella, Labidolemur, Russellmyinae, Russellmys, Sinclairella, Stehlinella, Teilhardella, Unuchinia, and Unuchiniinae.[4] There are 13 known species belonging to the genus Apatemys. The type species for the genus is Apatemys bellus, which was named by Marsh (1872), from a type specimen (YPM 13512) consisting of a mandible.[5] The species of the genus Apatemys belong to the suborder Apatotheria, whose sister taxa are Didelphodonta, Cimolestidae, Palaeoryctida, Pantodonta, Pantolesta, Pentacodontidae, Sarcodontidae and Todralestidae.[6]
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