- Paroodectes
Taxobox
name = "Paroodectes"
fossil_range = EarlyEocene
regnum =Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis =Mammalia
ordo =Carnivoramorpha
superfamilia =Miacoidea
familia =Miacidae
genus = "Paroodectes"
species = "P. feisti""Paroodectes" was a
miacid animal that lived during the earlyEocene (ca. 50 million years ago) in the rain forests and swamps of the present-day Germany. It was a prehistoric predator that had the size and the appearance of a cat and was well adapted to climbing, as is apparent from its limbs, joints and shoulder bones. Its long tail gave balance for tree climbing and jumping from branch to branch. "Paroodectes" probably hunted in the tree tops on insects, rodents and small monkeys.Only one species of "Paroodectes" ("P. feisti") has been found and this was at the
Messel Pit located southeast of Frankfurt, Germany. The pit was formed during the Geiseltalian Period (or Middle Eocene) about 50 million years ago. Spring (1980) gives the following description of the species: The odontological features of the Messel-Miacid are nearest to the new world genusOodectes from the Bridger Basin (Bridgerian). No direct relationship exists to European species. The structure of thepostcrania lskeleton shows great conformity with North AmericanMiacinae . Differences result from proportions skull-length/stature and length ofvertebral column/length of limbs. A well developedclavicle is extant.Scaphoid , lunar and central are distinct.Metatarsals are elongated. Hand and foot are adapted toplantigrade locomotion. An arboricole [living in trees] habit is assumed. The species is a member of the subfamily Miacinae. Besides morphologic features of theViverridae and someProcyonidae , there are possibly certain relationships to thePrimates .cite journal | author = Springhorn, R. | year = 1980 | title = Paroodectes feisti new genus new species the 1st miacid carnivora mammalia from the middle eocene of messel west germany | journal = Palaeontologische Zeitschrift | issue = 54(1-2) | pages = 171–198 | url = http://trophort.com/006/064/006064219.html | format = dead link|date=June 2008 – [http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3A+intitle%3AParoodectes+feisti+new+genus+new+species+the+1st+miacid+carnivora+mammalia+from+the+middle+eocene+of+messel+west+germany&as_publication=Palaeontologische+Zeitschrift&as_ylo=1980&as_yhi=1980&btnG=Search Scholar search] ]References
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