Contents

Cephalomyidae

Cephalomyidae Temporal range: Late Oligocene-Early Miocene (Deseadan-Colhuehuapian) ~21.0–17.5 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Mandible of Cephalomys arcidens
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Infraorder:	Hystricognathi
Parvorder:	Caviomorpha
Superfamily:	Cavioidea
Family:	†Cephalomyidae Ameghino 1897
Genera
†Banderomys[1] †Cephalomyopsis †Cephalomys †Litodontomys †Soriamys

Cephalomyidae is an extinct family of caviomorph rodents from South America. The specific relationships of the family are uncertain, and affinities to both chinchilloid and cavioid rodents have been supported. Most recently, Kramarz in 2005 performed a phylogenetic analysis supporting a relationship to the Cavioidea, as represented by Eocardiidae, although more recent analyses have placed them among the chinchilloids as relatives of the giant neoepiblemid rodents.^[2] McKenna and Bell (1997) questioned the validity of the family, placing the cephalomyid genera then known in Dasyproctidae, but Kramarz (2001) subsequently reasserted the distinctiveness of cephalomyids.

Fossils of the family have been found in DeseadantoColhuehuapian Fray Bentos, Deseado, Cerro Bandera and Sarmiento Formations and the Colhué Huapí MemberofArgentina and the Puca GroupofBolivia.^[3]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• F. Ameghino. 1897. Mammiféres crétacés de l’Argentine (Deuxième contribution à la connaissance de la fauna mammalogique de couches à Pyrotherium) [Cretaceous mammals of Argentina (second contribution to the knowledge of the mammalian fauna of the Pyrotherium Beds)]. Boletin Instituto Geografico Argentino 18(4–9):406-521
• Kramarz, A.G. 2001. Revision of the family Cephalomyidae (Rodentia, Caviomorpha) and new cephalomyids from the early Miocene of Patagonia. Palaeovertebrata 30(1-2):51-88.
• McKenna, Malcolm C., and Bell, Susan K. 1997. Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level. Columbia University Press, New York, 631 pp. ISBN 0-231-11013-8
• Vucetich, M.G., Verzi, D.H., and Hartenberger, J.-L. 2001. Review and analysis of the South American Hystricognathi (Mammalia, Rodentia). Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Série IIA 329(10):763-769.

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