Semantoridae

Semantoridae
Temporal range: Late Oligocene - Late Miocene, 24–7.25 Ma
Restored skeleton of Puijila darwini
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Carnivora
Clade:Pinnipedimorpha
Family:Semantoridae
Orlov, 1931
Genera

Semantoridae is an extinct family of stem-pinnipeds with fossils found in France, Kazakhstan, and Canada, dating back to various points in time in the Miocene epoch.[1][2] Based on their overall anatomy semantorids were not marine specialists, as their elongated bodies, a long tail and robust limbs suggest they were freshwater animals not unlike otters.[1] Indeed at least some taxa such as Semantor and Potamotherium were initially classified as mustelids closely related to otters.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Berta, A., Morgan, C., & Boessenecker, R.W. (2018). "The Origin and Evolutionary Biology of Pinnipeds: Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses". Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences. 0. doi:10.1146/annurev-earth-082517-010009.
  2. ↑ Rybczynski, N., Dawson, M.R., & Tedford, R.H. (2009). "A semi-aquatic Arctic mammalian carnivore from the Miocene epoch and origin of Pinnipedia". Nature. 458 (7241): 1021–24. doi:10.1038/nature07985. PMID 19396145.
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