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Aral Formation
The Aral Formation is a geologic formation in Kazakhstan. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene period. Much of its fossils consist of Glires and fish, though cetaceans and cryptobranchid salamanders are also known. Paleobiota The Aral Formation has yielded a rich variety of extinct mammals. Many of its mammal fauna consists of the clade Glires Glires (, Latin ''glīrēs'' 'dormice') is a clade (sometimes ranked as a grandorder) consisting of rodents and lagomorphs (rabbits, hares, and pikas). The hypothesis that these form a monophyletic group has been long debated based on morpho ... with rodents being particularly numerous. Bivalves Chondrichthyes Osteichthyes Urodela Mammals Rodents Lagomorpha Eulipotyphla Cetacea References {{reflist Geologic formations of Kazakhstan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Formation (stratigraphy)
A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics (lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock exposed in a geographical region (the stratigraphic column). It is the fundamental unit of lithostratigraphy, the study of strata or rock layers. A formation must be large enough that it can be mapped at the surface or traced in the subsurface. Formations are otherwise not defined by the thickness of their rock strata, which can vary widely. They are usually, but not universally, tabular in form. They may consist of a single lithology (rock type), or of alternating beds of two or more lithologies, or even a heterogeneous mixture of lithologies, so long as this distinguishes them from adjacent bodies of rock. The concept of a geologic formation goes back to the beginnings of modern scientific geology. The term was used by Abraham Gottlob W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Esox
''Esox'' is a genus of freshwater fish commonly known as pike or pickerel. It is the type genus of the family Esocidae. The type species of the genus is '' Esox lucius'', the northern pike. ''Esox'' has been present in Laurentia (which later became North America) and Eurasia since the Paleocene. Modern large pike species are native to the Palearctic and Nearctic realms, ranging across Northern America and from Western Europe to Siberia in North Asia. Pikes have the elongated, torpedo-like shape typical of predatory fishes, with sharply pointed heads and sharp teeth. Their coloration is typically grey-green with a mottled or spotted appearance with stripes along their backs, providing camouflage among underwater weeds, and each individual pike marking patterns are unique like fingerprints. Pikes can grow to a maximum recorded length of , reaching a maximum recorded weight of . Etymology The generic name ''Esox'' (pike fish) derives from the Greek ἴσοξ (''ee-so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amphechinus
''Amphechinus'' is an extinct genus of hedgehog of the family Erinaceidae, which lived in Asia and Europe during the Oligocene and in North America, Africa, Asia and Europe during the Miocene. Taxonomy ''Amphechinus'' was named by Auguste Aymard in 1850. It is not extant. It was assigned to Erinaceidae by Aymard (1850), Rich (1981) and Pickford et al. (2000). Morphology A single specimen was examined by J. I. Bloch, K. D. Rose, and P. D. Gingerich for body mass and was estimated to have a weight of .J. I. Bloch, K. D. Rose, and P. D. Gingerich. 1998. New species of Batodonoides (Lipotyphla, Geolabididae) from the early Eocene of Wyoming: smallest known mammal?. Journal of Mammalogy 79(3):804-827. Its fossils have been found in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Species ''A. akespensis, A. arvernensis, A. baudelotae, A. edwardsi, A. ginsburgi, A. golpeae, A. horncloudi, A. intermedius, A. kreuzae, A. major, A. microdus, A. minutissimus, A. robinsoni, A. taatsiingolensis'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Castoridae
The family Castoridae contains the two living species of beavers and their fossil relatives. A highly diverse group of rodents within this family once roamed the earth, but only a single genus is extant today, '' Castor''. Characteristics Castorids are medium-sized mammals, although large compared with most other rodents. They are semiaquatic, with sleek bodies and webbed hind feet, and are more agile in the water than on land. Their tails are flattened and scaly, adaptations that help them manoeuvre in the water. Castorids live in small family groups that each occupy a specific territory, based around a lodge and dam constructed from sticks and mud. They are herbivores, feeding on leaves and grasses in the summer, and woody plants such as willow in the winter. They have powerful incisors and the typical rodent dental formula: Evolution The earliest castorids belong to the genus '' Agnotocastor'', known from the late Eocene and Oligocene of North America and Asia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Propalaeocastor
''Propalaeocastor'' is a poorly known extinct genus of beavers (family Castoridae) from the early Oligocene of Europe and Asia. Recently described material of a new species of ''Propalaeocastor'', ''P. irtyshensis'', indicates the genus is probably the earliest known member of the subfamily Castorinae, which includes all castorids more closely related to living beavers (genus ''Castor'') than to the extinct giant beaver (genus ''Castoroides''). Previously, ''Propalaeocastor'' had been allied with more basal beavers such as ''Agnotocastor'' and '' Anchitheriomys''.Korth W.W., 2002. Comments on the systematics and classification of the beavers (Rodentia, Castoridae). ''Journal of Mammalian Evolution'' 8(4):279-296. According to Wu and coauthors, ''Propalaeocastor'', specifically ''P. butselensis'', is the likely ancestor of the better-known Eurasian castorine ''Steneofiber ''Steneofiber'' is an extinct genus of beavers from the Miocene. They contain several species of beavers. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zapodidae Zapodidae, the jumping mice, is a family of mouse-like rodents in North America and China. Although mouse-like in general appearance, these rodents are distinguished by their elongated hind limbs, and, typically, by the presence of four pairs of cheek-teeth in each jaw. There are five toes to all the feet, but the first in the fore-feet is rudimentary, and furnished with a flat nail. The tail makes up about 60% of its body length and is used to gain balance while jumping. The cheeks have pouches. The Sichuan jumping "yeti" mouse ('' Eozapus setchuanus'') from China can be identified by the ‘Y’ marking on its belly. Jumping mice live in wooded areas, grassy fields and alpine meadows. When disturbed, they start, in enormous bounds of eight or ten feet in length, which soon diminish to three or four, and in leap |
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