Theosodon

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Thesodon
Fossil range: Early Miocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Litopterna
Family: Macraucheniidae
Genus: Thesodon
Species: T. lydekkeeri
Binomial name
Theosodon lydekkeeri
Genera and Species
  • T. lydekkeeri
  • T. garretorum
  • T. fontanus (fontanai)
  • T. gracilis
  • T. karaikensis
  • T. patagonica

Theosodon is an extinct genus of litoptern mammal.

The 2 m (6 ft 8 in) long creature bore a superficial resemblance the modern guanaco. It had a long neck and tapir-like three-toed feet. Judging from the position of its nostrils, Theosodon had a short trunk, though shorter than its other relatives from the Macraucheniidae family, namely Macrauchenia. Theosodon was discovered with a full set of teeth, and its jaws, namely its lower mandible, were very thin and large [1]. The number of dental bones found within this animal's remains were 44, which is the primitive condition of placental mammal dentition. Theosodon lived during the early Miocene.

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