Henkelotherium

Henkelotherium is an extinct genus of mammal from the Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) Camadas de Guimarota, in Portugal.[1] It differs from most other paurodontids in having more postcanine teeth.

Mammalia

Australosphenida (monotremes and extinct relatives)   Boreosphenida   Fruitafossor       Eutriconodonta     Allotheria   Tinodon       Haramiyavia       Arboroharamiya   Multituberculata   Plagiaulacida     Cimolodonta               Symmetrodonta         Dryolestes     Henkelotherium           Amphitherium     Peramus         Vincelestes       Nanolestes       Aegialodon   Theria   Metatheria (marsupials and extinct relatives)     Eutheria (placental mammals)

Henkelotherium Temporal range: Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Skeleton
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	†Dryolestida
Family:	†Paurodontidae
Genus:	†Henkelotherium Krebs, 1991
Species:	†H. guimarotae
Binomial name
†Henkelotherium guimarotae Krebs, 1991

Paleobiology

Primitive characters of Henkelotherium (e.g. asymmetric condyles of the femur) indicate that this species had a mode of locomotion similar to tree shrews and opossums. The small size of Henkelotherium and elongated tail made it suited to an arboreal lifestyle and capable of climbing trees, a notion supported by the paleoecological reconstruction of the Guimarota ecosystem indicating a densely vegetated environment.[2]

See also

• Prehistoric mammal
  • List of prehistoric mammals

References

1. Krebs B., 1991. Das Skelett von Henkelotherium guimarotae gen. et sp. nov. (Eupantotheria, Mammalia) aus dem Oberen Jura von Portugal. Berl Geowiss Abh A.: 133:1–110.
2. Vázquez-Molinero, R., Martin, T., Fischer, M. S. and Frey, R. (2001), Comparative anatomical investigations of the postcranial skeleton of Henkelotherium guimarotae Krebs, 1991 (Eupantotheria, Mammalia) and their implications for its locomotion. Zool. Reihe, 77: 207–216. doi: 10.1002/mmnz.20010770206

Further reading

• Ramón Vázquez Molinero: Comparative anatomy of Henkelotherium guimarotae (Holotheria), a late Jurassic small mammal, and its relevance for the evolution of the mode of locomotion of modern mammals. Dissertation. Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, 2003. Dissertation Online

http://www.diss.fu-berlin.de/diss/receive/FUDISS_thesis_000000001206