Michenia
| Michenia Temporal range: Oligocene–Early Pliocene | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Fossil | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Suborder: | Ruminantia |
| Family: | Camelidae |
| Genus: | Michenia Frick and Taylor (1971) |
| Species | |
| |
Michenia is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore the family Camelidae, endemic to North America from the Pliocene through Pleistocene 24.8—4.9 mya, existing for approximately 19.9 million years.[1]
Taxonomy
Michenia was named by Frick and Taylor (1971). Its type is Michenia agatensis. It was assigned to Camelidae by Frick and Taylor (1971) and Carroll (1988).[2][3]
Morphology
Two specimens were examined for estimated body mass by M. Mendoza, C. M. Janis, and P. Palmqvist. These specimens were estimated to weigh:
- 224.9 kg (500 lb)
- 121.9 kg (270 lb) [4]
Fossil distribution
Fossil distribution ranged from California to Texas to Alberta, Canada and to Idaho and Nebraska.
References
- ↑ PaleoBiology Database: Michenia, basic info
- ↑ C. Frick and B. E. Taylor. 1971. American Museum Novitates 2444
- ↑ R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W. H. Freeman and Company, New York 1-698
- ↑ M. Mendoza, C. M. Janis, and P. Palmqvist. 2006. Estimating the body mass of extinct ungulates: a study on the use of multiple regression. Journal of Zoology 270(1):90-101