Comahuetherium
Encyclopedia
Comahuetherium is an extinct genus
of astrapotheria
n mammal
from the early Miocene
(Colhuehuapian
age). It is a basal astrapotheriid which lived in what is now Patagonia
, Argentina
. The holotype
was found in the Cerro Bandera Formation in Neuquén Province
, northern Patagonia and additional specimens were found at the Gran Barranca south of Lake Colhué Huapi, in Chubut Province
of central Patagonia. It was first named by Alejandro Kramarz and Mariano Bond in 2011
and the type species
is Comahuetherium coccaorum.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of astrapotheria
Astrapotheria
Astrapotheria is an extinct order of South American hoofed animals. The history of this order is enigmatic, but it may taxonomically belong to Meridiungulata . In turn, Meridungulata is believed to belong to the extant superorder Laurasiatheria...
n mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
from the early Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
(Colhuehuapian
Colhuehuapian
The Colhuehuapian age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Deseadan and precedes the Santacrucian age....
age). It is a basal astrapotheriid which lived in what is now Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
was found in the Cerro Bandera Formation in Neuquén Province
Neuquén Province
Neuquén is a province of Argentina, located in the west of the country, at the northern end of Patagonia. It borders Mendoza Province to the north, Rio Negro Province to the southeast, and Chile to the west...
, northern Patagonia and additional specimens were found at the Gran Barranca south of Lake Colhué Huapi, in Chubut Province
Chubut Province
Chubut a province in the southern part of Argentina situated between the 42nd parallel south and the 46th parallel south , the Andes range separating Argentina from Chile, and the Atlantic ocean...
of central Patagonia. It was first named by Alejandro Kramarz and Mariano Bond in 2011
2011 in paleontology
-Lobopods:-Arachnids:-Insects:-Newly named jawless vertebrates:-Newly named acanthodian:-Newly named cartilaginous fishes:-Newly named bony fishes:-Newly named lepospondyls:-Newly named temnospondyls:-Newly named lissamphibians:...
and the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is Comahuetherium coccaorum.