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TITLE: A review of Paleocene and Eocene Leptictidae (Eutheria: Mammalia) from North America
AUTHOR: Michael J. Novacek
JOURNAL: PaleoBios
PUBLISHED: Jan 31, 1977
NOTES: no. 24
ABSTRACT: Abundant and widely distributed fossils demonstrate a diversity of leptictid species in North America during the Paleocene and Eocene epochs. The late Cretaceous genus Gypsonictops markedly contrasts with the Tertiary leptictids, but is recognized as the most closely related sister taxon of the latter. The genus Diacodon is removed from the Leptictidae because the type species, D. alticuspis, more closely resembles adapisoricid insectivores. Three major leptictid lineages are known from the Paleocene and Eocene of North America. One lineage, the genus Prodiacodon, shows the retention of primitive sectorial features in the dentition. The second lineage, Palaeictops shows a more derived "bunodont" condition. Palaeictops, particularly P. matthewi (n. sp.), is undoubtedly closely related to the Oligocene Leptictis. Myrmecoboides represents the third early divergent lineage not closely related with other leptictid genera. A new species, Prodiacodon crustulum, from the Puercan of Montana shows a combination of dental characters intermediate between Gypsonictops (Hypoconus) and Prodiacodon puercensis.
COLLECTION: PaleoBios Archive Public
ID: 191

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    BNHM      University of California, Berkeley