Michenia

Michenia
Michenia
Temporal range: Oligocene–Early Pliocene
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Suborder: Ruminantia
Family: Camelidae
Genus: Michenia
Frick and Taylor (1971)
Species
  • M. agatensis (type species)
  • M. deschutensis
  • M. exilis
  • M. yavapaiensis

Michenia is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore the family Camelidae, endemic to North America from the Pliocene through Pleistocene 24.8—4.9 mya, existing for approximately 19.9 million years.[1]

Contents

Taxonomy

Michenia was named by Frick and Taylor (1971). Its type is Michenia agatensis. It was assigned to Camelidae by Frick and Taylor (1971) and Carroll (1988).[2][3]

Morphology

Two specimens were examined for estimated body mass by M. Mendoza, C. M. Janis, and P. Palmqvist. These specimens were estimated to weigh:

  • 224.9 kg (500 lb)
  • 121.9 kg (270 lb) [4]

Fossil distribution

Fossil distribution ranged from California to Texas to Alberta, Canada and to Idaho and Nebraska.

References

  1. ^ PaleoBiology Database: Michenia, basic info
  2. ^ C. Frick and B. E. Taylor. 1971. American Museum Novitates 2444
  3. ^ R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W. H. Freeman and Company, New York 1-698
  4. ^ M. Mendoza, C. M. Janis, and P. Palmqvist. 2006. Estimating the body mass of extinct ungulates: a study on the use of multiple regression. Journal of Zoology 270(1):90-101
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