Phylogenetic tree of Litopterna and Perissodactyla indicates a complex early history of hoofed mammals

2020/08/06 by Nicolás R. Chimento, Federico L. Agnolín · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology #Bat Biology and Ecology Studies #Ungulate #Clade #Biology #Phylogenetic tree #Evolutionary biology #Range (aeronautics) #Zoology #Taxon #Phylogenetics #Ecology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s41598-020-70287-5

openalex publication_date 2020/08/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23

Abstract

The Litopterna is an extinct clade of endemic South American ungulates that range from Paleocene up to late Pleistocene times. Because of their unique anatomy, litopterns are of uncertain phylogenetic affinities. However, some nineteenth century authors, considered litopterns as related to perissodactyl ungulates, a hypothesis recently sustained by molecular data. The aim of the present contribution is to include litopterns and other South American related taxa in a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis together with several extant and extinct basal perissodactyl ungulates. The analysis resulted in the nesting of litopterns and kin as successive stem-clades of crown Perissodactyla. Further, litopterns are not phylogenetically grouped with any North American basal ungulate, in agreement with some previous proposals. Presence of pan-perissodactyls in South America and India indicates that southern continents probably played an important role in the early evolution of hoofed mammals.

Citations

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Cited by

• Cranial Morphology and Phylogenetic Relationships of Trigonostylops wortmani, an Eocene South American Native Ungulate
• South American native ungulates [wikipedia]