Biology:Helaletidae

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Short description: Extinct family of odd-toed ungulates

Helaletidae
Temporal range: Early Eocene - Miocene
Helaletes nanus (Marsh, 1871).jpg
Skeleton of Helaletes nanus
Scientific classification e
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Superfamily: Tapiroidea
Family: Helaletidae
Osborn, 1892
Genera
  • Colodon
  • Dilophodon
  • Helaletes
  • Heptodon
  • Heteraletes
  • Paracolodon
  • Plesiocolopirus
  • Thuliadanta

The Helaletidae are an extinct family of tapiroid closely related and likely ancestral to the true tapirs, which contain Protapirus and all descendants.[1] In alternative classifications, Helaletidae is treated as a subfamily within the Tapiridae, the Helaletinae.

Members of the family are defined by having less bilophodont cheek teeth compared to other tapiroids.[2]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q5486971 entry