Nanotragulus

Nanotragulus Temporal range: Eocene–Miocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	†Hypertragulidae
Genus:	†Nanotragulus Lull (1922)
Range of Nanotragulus based on fossil record

Nanotragulus is an extinct genus belonging to the family Hypertragulidae, within the order Artiodactyla, endemic to North America, Europe, and Asia during the Eocene through Miocene, living 46.2–13.6 Ma, existing for approximately 32.6 million years.^[1]

Nanotragulus are primitive and ancient ruminants, resembling small deer or musk deer, although they were more closely related to modern chevrotains. Its diet is stated to be that of a frugivore.

Taxonomy

Nanotragulus was named by Lull (1922). It was assigned to Cervidae by Cook (1934); and to Hypertragulidae by Lull (1922), Matthew (1926) and Carroll (1988).^[2][3][4]

Morphology

Body mass

Four specimens were examined by M. Mendoza, C. M. Janis, and P. Palmqvist for body mass:^[5]

• 8.29 kg (18 lb)
• 3.84 kg (8.5 lb)
• 4.70 kg (10 lb)
• 4.54 kg (10 lb)

Fossil distribution

Partial list of fossil sites:

• Kimberly Member, Grant County, Oregon
• North Boulder Valley, Jefferson County, Montana
• Brooksville 2 Site, Hernando County, Florida

References

1. ^ PaleoBiology Database: Nanotragulus, basic info
2. ^ H. J. Cook. 1934. New artiodactyls from the Oligocene and Lower Miocene of Nebraska. American Midland Naturalist 15(2):148–165
3. ^ W. D. Matthew. 1926. On a new primitive deer and two traguloid genera from the Lower Miocene of Nebraska. American Museum Novitates 215:1-8
4. ^ R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W. H. Freeman and Company, New York 1-698
5. ^ 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