Mylagaulidae

Mylagaulids
Temporal range: 28–5 Ma Late Oligocene - Early Pliocene
Reconstruction of Ceratogaulus hatcheri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Sciuromorpha
Family: Mylagaulidae
Cope, 1881
Subfamilies

See text

The Mylagaulidae or mylagaulids are an extinct clade of sciuromorph rodents nested within the family Aplodontiidae.[1][2] They are known from the Neogene of North America and China.[3][4] The oldest member is the Late Oligocene Trilaccogaulus montanensis that lived some 29 million years ago (Mya), and the youngest was Ceratogaulus hatcheri—formerly in the invalid genus "Epigaulus" [2][5]—which was found barely into the Pliocene, some 5 Mya.[6]

Systematics

Three subfamilies are recognized. The taxonomy of Galbreathia is not resolved; it might belong in Mylagaulinae, but lacks the characteristic apomorphies.[6]

Promylagaulinae

  • Genus Crucimys
  • Genus Promylagaulus
  • Genus Trilaccogaulus
  • Genus Simpligaulus

Mesogaulinae

  • Genus Mesogaulus - includes Mylagaulodon

Mylagaulinae

incertae sedis

  • Genus Galbreathia - basal in Mylagaulinae?

Footnotes

References