Plagiomenidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Plagiomenidae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Dermoptera |
| Family: | †Plagiomenidae Matthew, 1918 |
| Genera | |
Plagiomenidae is an extinct family of mammals from the Paleocene–Eocene of North America. Mainly known from teeth and jaw bones, plagiomenids are often regarded as early members of Dermoptera, the order which contains the modern colugos or "flying lemurs" of southeast Asia.[1][2][3][4] Some studies argue that plagiomenids are too specialized to be close relatives of colugos,[5][6][7] though others continue to uphold a relationship between the two groups.[4][8][9] No fossils are known beyond the skull, so it is unknown whether plagiomenids could glide like their potential modern relatives.
Plagiomenids were sometimes suggested to be descendants of mixodectids or ancestors to tarkadectines, two other extinct groups of primate-like North American mammals.[10][4] A direct line of ancestry is no longer supported for either; mixodectids are a distinct family of non-gliding euarchontans (mammals in the vicinity of the split between colugos and primates).[11] Tarkadectines are probably a subfamily of Omomyidae (early relatives of tarsiers).[9]
.jpg)
