Microchoerus

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Microchoerus
Temporal range: Late Eocene–Paleogene
Upper dentition of M. erinaceus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Family: †Omomyidae
Subfamily: †Microchoerinae
Genus: †Microchoerus
Wood 1844
Species
  • M. woodi (Hooker, 1986)
  • M. ornatus (Hooker, 1986)
  • M. hookeri (Minwer-Barakat et al. 2017)
  • M. erinaceus (Wood 1844)
  • M. creechbarrowensis

Microchoerus is a genus of extinct microchoerine primate from Late Eocene Europe. [1]

Description

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Microchoerus is similar to most other microchoerines in bodyplan, In dentition, Microchoerus is unique due to the development of mesoconid and hypoconulid molars. The shapes of the molars has been used to distinguish evolutionary trends in the species of Microchoerus in the past.[2]

Paleoecology

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Microchoerus lived in the Iberian Peninsula, which, during the Paleogene, was a rainforest. [3] It shared the environment with many vertebrates, including indeterminate anurans, lacertids and cryptodirans. Mammal fauna consists of Elfomys, Peratherium, Xiphodon, Anoplotherium and Paramiacis, among others.[2] Microchoerus was likely an arboreal insectivore.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Minwer-Barakat, Raef; Marigó, Judit; Femenias-Gual, Joan; Costeur, Loïc; De Esteban-Trivigno, Soledad; Moyà-Solà, Salvador (2017-01-01). "Microchoerus hookeri nov. sp., a new late Eocene European microchoerine (Omomyidae, Primates): New insights on the evolution of the genus Microchoerus". Journal of Human Evolution. 102: 42–66. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.10.004. ISSN 0047-2484.
  2. ^ a b Minwer-Barakat, Raef; Badiola, Ainara; Marigó, Judit; Moyà-Solà, Salvador (2013-09-01). "First record of the genus Microchoerus (Omomyidae, Primates) in the western Iberian Peninsula and its palaeobiogeographic implications". Journal of Human Evolution. 65 (3): 313–321. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.07.002. ISSN 0047-2484.
  3. ^ Barrón, Eduardo; Rivas-Carballo, Rosario; Postigo-Mijarra, José María; Alcalde-Olivares, Cristina; Vieira, Manuel; Castro, Lígia; Pais, João; Valle-Hernández, María (2010-10-01). "The Cenozoic vegetation of the Iberian Peninsula: A synthesis". Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. Iberian Floras through Time: Land of Diversity and Survival. 162 (3): 382–402. doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2009.11.007. ISSN 0034-6667.
  4. ^ "Mindat.org". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2025-09-12.