Astrapotheria

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Astrapotheria
Fossil range: late Paleocene-late Miocene
Astrapotherium.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Superorder: †Meridiungulata
Order: †Astrapotheria
Lydekker 1894
Families

†Astrapotheriidae
†Eoastrapostylopidae
†Trigonostylopidae

Astrapotheria is an extinct order of South American hoofed animals. The history of this order is enigmatic, but it may taxonomically belong to Meridiungulata (along with Notoungulata, Litopterna and Pyrotheria). In turn, Meridungulata is believed to belong to the extant superorder Laurasiatheria. An example of this order is Astrapotherium magnum. When alive, Astrapotherium might have resembled a mastodon, but was only three meters (ten feet) long.

[edit] Classification

  • Astrapotheriidae
    • Xenastrapotherium
    • Synastrapotherium
    • Parastrapotherium
    • Scaglia
    • Astrapotherium
    • Astrapothericulus
    • Astraponotus
  • Eoastrapostylopidae
    • Eoastrapostylops
  • Trigonostylopidae
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