Selected features of the desmostylian skeleton and their phylogenetic implications. American Museum novitates ; no. 2870

Supplemental Materials

Date

1987

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

New York, N.Y. : American Museum of Natural History

DOI

DOI

Abstract

"According to several standard descriptions, desmostylians lack certain specializations shared by proboscideans, sirenians, and hyracoids. These specializations are amastoidy and the serial arrangement of the carpals with the concomitant loss of contact between the lunar and unciform. We argue that original descriptions of desmostylians pertaining to these traits are either in error, or have alternative phylogenetic implications. Hence, comparisons of these conditions do not exclude desmostylians from the superordinal group Tethytheria (proboscideans and sirenians) or the more inclusive Paenungulata (tethytheres and hyracoids)"--P. [1].

Description

8 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 7-8).

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