Tapiroidea is a superfamily of

perissodactyl Perissodactyla (, ), or odd-toed ungulates, is an order of Ungulate, ungulates. The order includes about 17 living species divided into three Family (biology), families: Equidae (wild horse, horses, Asinus, asses, and zebras), Rhinocerotidae ( ...

s which includes the modern

tapirs Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a Suidae, pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk (proboscis). Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, South and Centr ...

and their extinct relatives. Taxonomically, they are placed in suborder

Ceratomorpha Perissodactyla (, ), or odd-toed ungulates, is an order of ungulates. The order includes about 17 living species divided into three families: Equidae (horses, asses, and zebras), Rhinocerotidae (rhinoceroses), and Tapiridae (tapirs). They typ ...

along with the rhino superfamily,

Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotoidea is a superfamily (taxonomy), superfamily of Perissodactyla, perissodactyls that appeared 56 million years ago in the Paleocene. They included four extinct families, the Amynodontidae, the Hyracodontidae, the Paraceratheriidae, an ...

. The first members of Tapiroidea appeared during the

Early Eocene In the geologic timescale the Ypresian is the oldest age (geology), age or lowest stage (stratigraphy), stratigraphic stage of the Eocene. It spans the time between , is preceded by the Thanetian Age (part of the Paleocene) and is followed by th ...

, 55 million years ago, and were present in North America and Asia during the Eocene. Tapiridae first appeared during the early

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that defin ...

in Europe, and are thought to have originated from the tapiroid family

Helaletidae The Helaletidae are an extinct family of tapiroid, closely related and likely ancestral to the true tapirs, which contain ''Protapirus ''Protapirus'' (Latin: "before" (pro), + Brazilian Indian: "tapir" (tapira)) is an extinct genus of tapir k ...

Taxonomy

*Superfamily Tapiroidea **Family †

Deperetellidae Deperetellidae is an extinct family of herbivorous odd-toed ungulates containing the genera '' Bahinolophus'', '' Deperetella'', '' Irenolophus'', and '' Teleolophus''. Their closest living relatives are tapirs. Deperetellids are known from the ...

***Genus †'' Bahinolophus'' ***Genus †'' Deperetella'' ***Genus †''Irenolophus'' ***Genus †''

Teleolophus ''Teleolophus'' is an extinct genus of herbivorous mammals related to tapirs that flourished in the Eocene of Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 milli ...

'' **Family

Tapiridae Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk (proboscis). Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South and Central America and Southea ...

***Genus †'' Eotapirus'' ***Genus †''

Miotapirus ''Miotapirus harrisonensis'' is an extinct species of tapir lived during the early Miocene Epoch some 20 million years ago in North America. Physically, ''Miotapirus'' was virtually identical to its modern relatives; with a length of 2 m (6 ...

'' ***Genus †''

Nexuotapirus ''Nexuotapirus'' is an extinct genus of tapir from the Late Oligocene and Early Miocene of North America. Taxonomy ''Nexuotapirus'' was erected in 1998. The type species, ''N. marslandensis'', was originally classified under '' Miotapirus''. The ...

'' ***Genus †'' Paratapirus'' ***Genus †'' Plesiotapirus'' ***Genus †''

Protapirus ''Protapirus'' (Latin: "before" (pro), + Brazilian Indian: "tapir" (tapira)) is an extinct genus of tapir known from the Oligocene and Miocene of North America and Eurasia. Taxonomy The type species is ''Protapirus priscus'' from the Late Oligoc ...

'' (syn. ''Tanyops'') ***Genus †''

Tapiravus ''Tapiravus'' is an extinct genus of herbivorous mammals that were related to tapir Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a Suidae, pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk ...

'' ***Genus ''

Tapirus ''Tapirus'' is a genus of tapir which contains the living tapir species. The Malayan tapir is usually included in ''Tapirus'' as well, although some authorities have moved it into its own genus, ''Acrocodia''. Extant species The Kabomani tapir ...

'' **Family †

***Genus †''

Colodon ''Colodon'' is an extinct genus of herbivorous mammals that were related to tapirs of today.L. T. Holbrook. 1999. The Phylogeny and classification of tapiromorph perissodactyls (Mammalia). Cladistics 15(3):331-350 Taxonomy Species of ''Colodon'' ...

'' ***Genus †''

Dilophodon Tapiroidea is a superfamily of perissodactyls which includes the modern tapirs and their extinct relatives. Taxonomically, they are placed in suborder Ceratomorpha along with the rhino superfamily, Rhinocerotoidea. The first members of Tapiroide ...

'' ***Genus †''

Helaletes ''Helaletes'' is a genus of an extinct perissodactyls closely related to tapirs. Fossils have been found in North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. N ...

'' ***Genus †''

Heptodon ''Heptodon'' is an extinct genus of tapir-type herbivore of the family Helaletidae endemic to North America during the Early Eocene. It lived from 50.3—48.6 mya, existing for approximately . ''Heptodon'' was about in length, and closely rese ...

'' ***Genus †''

Heteraletes Tapiroidea is a superfamily of perissodactyls which includes the modern tapirs and their extinct relatives. Taxonomically, they are placed in suborder Ceratomorpha along with the rhino superfamily, Rhinocerotoidea. The first members of Tapir ...

'' ***Genus †''

Paracolodon ''Paracolodon'' is an extinct genus of tapiroid perissodactyl belonging to the family Helaletidae. Fossils have been found in Mongolia and the Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an Autonomous ...

'' ***Genus †''

Plesiocolopirus Tapiroidea is a superfamily of perissodactyls which includes the modern tapirs and their extinct relatives. Taxonomically, they are placed in suborder Ceratomorpha along with the rhino superfamily, Rhinocerotoidea. The first members of Tapiroid ...

'' *Placement uncertain **Genus †''

Indolophus Indolophus is an extinct genus of perissodactyl belonging to the clade Tapiromorpha, which includes modern-day tapirs. Fossils have been found in the Early Eocene of Myanmar. Description ''Indolophus'' can be distinguished from other tapiromorph ...

'' **Genus †''

Thuliadanta ''Thuliadanta'' is an extinct genus of ceratomorph perissodactyl closely related to modern tapirs that is known from the early Eocene Margaret Formation of Arctic Canada (Nunavut and Northwest Territories). Paleogeographic significance ''Thuli ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7684685 Ceratomorpha Extant Eocene first appearances Mammal superfamilies