Ribodon

Ribodon
Temporal range: Tortonian (Mayoan-Huayquerian)
~11.61–7.25 Ma
↓
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Sirenia
Family: Trichechidae
Genus: †Ribodon
Species:
†R. limbatus
Binomial name
†Ribodon limbatus

Ribodon is an extinct genus of manatee that lived around South America (Ituzaingó Formation, then described as Entrerriana Formation, Argentina, Solimões Formation, Brazil and Urumaco Formation, Urumaco, Venezuela) during the Tortonian (Mayoan to Huayquerian in the South American land mammal ages). The type species is R. limbatus.[1]

Ribodon is considered the direct ancestor of the Trichechus genus to which all modern manatees belong and was the first manatee to exhibit supernumerary molars that were replaced throughout life, indicating a diet of abrasive plants.[2] Ribodon is hypothesized to have inhabited both coastal and inland freshwater regions; however, in which of the two it originated is unknown.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "The Paleobiology Database". Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  2. ^ Domning, Daryl P. (1982). "Evolution of Manatees: A Speculative History". Journal of Paleontology. 56 (3): 599–619. JSTOR 1304394.
  3. ^ De Souza, Érica Martinha Silva; Freitas, Lucas; Da Silva Ramos, Elisa Karen; Selleghin-Veiga, Giovanna; Rachid-Ribeiro, Michelle Carneiro; Silva, Felipe André; Marmontel, Miriam; Dos Santos, Fabrício Rodrigues; Laudisoit, Anne; Verheyen, Erik; Domning, Daryl P.; Nery, Mariana Freitas (2021). "The evolutionary history of manatees told by their mitogenomes". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 3564. Bibcode:2021NatSR..11.3564D. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-82390-2. PMC 7878490. PMID 33574363.


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