New Middle Eocene proboscidean from Togo illuminates the early evolution of the elephantiform-like dental pattern.

ABSTRACT: Africa has played a pivotal role in the evolution of early proboscideans (elephants and their extinct relatives), yet vast temporal and geographical zones remain uncharted on the continent. A long hiatus encompassing most of the Eocene (Ypresian to the Early Priabonian, around 13 Myr timespan) considerably hampers our understanding of the early evolutionary history of the group. It is notably the case with the origin of its most successful members, the Elephantiformes, i.e. all elephant-like proboscideans most closely related to modern elephants. Here, we describe a proboscidean lower molar discovered in Lutetian phosphate deposits from Togo, and name a new genus and species, Dagbatitherium tassyi. We show that Dagbatitherium displays several elephantiform dental characterist

SUBMITTER: Hautier L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8511763 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature