Tethytragus was a genus of caprine bovid that lived in the Middle[2] and Late Miocene.[3]

Tethytragus
Temporal range: Miocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Tethytragus
Azanza & Morales, 1994
Species[1]
  • Tethytragus koehlerae Azanza & Morales, 1994
  • Tethytragus langai Azanza & Morales, 1994
  • Tethytragus stehlini (Thenius, 1951)

Geographic range

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Fossils of the genus have been found in Spain[2] and Turkey.[3]

Palaeoecology

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Tethytragus was a grazer or a mixed feeder in its feeding habits.[4] Dental microwear and mesowear analyses of T. langai give conflicting evidence as to its dietary habits; the latter suggests an exclusively grazing diet while the former suggests mixed feeding habits; the totality of the evidence suggests the species was a mixed feeder on the grazing end of the spectrum between browsers and grazers.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Tethytragus". BioLib.
  2. ^ a b Demiguel, Daniel; Sánchez, Israel M.; Alba, David M.; Galindo, Jordi; Robles, Josep M.; Moyà-Solà, Salvador (31 October 2012). "First evidence of Tethytragus Azanza and Morales, 1994 (Ruminantia, Bovidae), in the Miocene of the Vallès-Penedès Basin (Spain)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 32 (6): 1457–1462. doi:10.1080/02724634.2012.696082. ISSN 0272-4634. Retrieved 4 September 2024 – via Taylor and Francis Online.
  3. ^ a b Bibi, Faysal; Güleç, Erksin Savas (12 June 2008). "Bovidae (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) from the late Miocene of Sivas, Turkey". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 501–519. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[501:BMAFTL]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634. Retrieved 4 September 2024 – via Taylor and Francis Online.
  4. ^ DeMiguel, Daniel; Azanza, Beatriz; Morales, Jorge (1 April 2010). "Trophic flexibility within the oldest Cervidae lineage to persist through the Miocene Climatic Optimum". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 289 (1–4): 81–92. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.02.010. Retrieved 4 September 2024 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
  5. ^ DeMiguel, Daniel; Azanza, Beatriz; Morales, Jorge (15 March 2011). "Paleoenvironments and paleoclimate of the Middle Miocene of central Spain: A reconstruction from dental wear of ruminants". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 302 (3–4): 452–463. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.02.005. Retrieved 6 September 2024 – via Elsevier Science Direct.