Hyopsodus

Hyopsodus
Temporal range: Late Eocene 56–45Ma
Endocast of the skull of H. lepidus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: †Condylarthra
Family: Hyopsodontidae
Genus: Hyopsodus
Leidy, 1870
Type species
H. paulus
Species
  • H. fastigatus
  • H. lepidus
  • H. loomisi
  • H. lysitensis
  • H. markmani
  • H. mentalis
  • H. minor
  • H. minusculus
  • H. paulus
  • H. pauxillus
  • H. powellianus
  • H. shollemi
  • H. simplex
  • H. tonksi
  • H. uintensi
  • H. walcottianus
  • H. wardi
  • H. wortmani
Restoration

Hyopsodus is a genus of extinct condylarth mammal of the hyopsodontidae family. Fossils of this genus have been found in North America, especially the bighorn basin region of the United States. They are often nicknamed "tube sheep", due to their strange, weasel-like body. It is believed to have been swift and nimble, living in burrows, and perhaps able to use echolocation.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Orliac, M. J.; Argot, C.; Gilissen, E. (2012). Goswami, Anjali, ed. "Digital Cranial Endocast of Hyopsodus (Mammalia, "Condylarthra"): A Case of Paleogene Terrestrial Echolocation?". PLoS ONE 7 (2): e30000. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0030000. PMC 3277592. PMID 22347998.