Brachytherium is an extinct genus of proterotheriid mammal from the Late Miocene to Late Pliocene of Argentina. It is represented by the type and only species B. cuspidatum, a taxon named in 1883 by Ameghino for a partial mandible with teeth. Though it was considered a dubious taxon at times, Brachytherium was revised as valid by Schmidt in 2015, who also synonymized the species Proterotherium gradatum and Lophogonodon paranensis, expanding the material known, all of which is from the Ituzaingó Formation. Some material previously referred to Brachytherium has been given the new name Neobrachytherium.[1]

Brachytherium
Temporal range: Late Miocene-Late Pliocene (Chasicoan-Chapadmalalan)
~10.0–3.0 Ma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Litopterna
Family: Proterotheriidae
Genus: Brachytherium
Ameghino, 1883
Type species
Brachytherium cuspidatum
Ameghino, 1883
Synonyms
  • Proterotherium gradatum
    Ameghino, 1891
  • Brachytherium gradatum
    (Ameghino, 1891) Ameghino, 1904
  • Lophogonodon gradatum
    (Ameghino, 1891) Soria, 2001
  • Lophogonodon paranensis
    Ameghino, 1904
  • Epitherium paranensis
    (Ameghino, 1904) Delupi de Bianchini & Bianchini, 1971
  • Licaphrium mesopotamiense
    Delupi de Bianchini & Bianchini, 1971

References edit

  1. ^ Schmidt, G.E. (2015). "Actualización sistemática y filogenia de los proterotheriidae (Mammalia, litopterna) del "Mesopotamiense" (mioceno tardío) de Entre Ríos, Argentina". Revista Brasileira de Paleontologia. 18 (3): 521–546. doi:10.4072/rbp.2015.3.14.