Simpligaulus
| Simpligaulus Temporal range: Miocene,
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | †Mylagaulidae |
| Genus: | †Simpligaulus Wu, 2013 |
| Type species | |
| Simpligaulus yangi Wu, 2013
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| Species | |
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Simpligaulus is a genus of mylagauline rodent from Early Miocene Asia.[1][2]
Description
[edit]Similar to other mylagaulines, it is inferred Simpligaulus was fossorial.[3] Compared to other mylagaulids, Simpligaulus was rather small. It bore high-crowned teeth, and a prominent crest on the fourth premolar.[4]
Paleoecology
[edit]Simpligaulus is known from the Halamagai Formation, a fossil site associated with lacustrine and pluvial sediments. The formation is incredibly biodiverse, as Simpligaulus lived with various proboscideans, primates and crocodylians. It is inferred the genus lived in warm, humid environments.[4]
Classification
[edit]Previously classed amongst the Promylagaulinae [4], Simpligaulus is now considered to be a basal mylagauline. It is phylogenetically grouped with Mesogaulus, and is suspected to have evolved from North American mylagauline ancestors similar in morphology to Mesogaulus.[1][4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Lu, Xiaoyu; Ni, Xijun; Li, Lüzhou; Li, Qiang (2016-08-03). "Two New Mylagaulid Rodents from the Early Miocene of China". PLOS ONE. 11 (8) e0159445. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1159445L. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159445. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 4972310. PMID 27486803.
- ^ "PBDB Taxon". paleobiodb.org. Archived from the original on 2024-10-09. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
- ^ Hopkins, Samantha S. B. (2005-08-22). "The evolution of fossoriality and the adaptive role of horns in the Mylagaulidae (Mammalia: Rodentia)". Proceedings. Biological Sciences. 272 (1573): 1705–1713. doi:10.1098/rspb.2005.3171. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC 1559849. PMID 16087426.
- ^ a b c d "MYLAGAULIDS (MAMMALIA: RODENTIA) FROM THE EARLY MIDDLE MIOCENE OF NORTHERNJUNGGAR BASIN". Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 51 (1). 2013-03-15. ISSN 2096-9899. Archived from the original on 2025-03-21.
