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Staffia aenigmatica

Mammalia - Multituberculata - Haramyidae

Taxonomy
Staffia aenigmatica was named by Heinrich (1999). Its type specimen is MB.Ma. 48080, a set of teeth (cheek tooth, tentatively identified as a right lower posterior premolar), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Tendaguru quarry Ig, Kindope, which is in a Kimmeridgian channel lag siltstone in the Tendaguru Formation of Tanzania. It is the type species of Staffia.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1999Staffia aenigmatica Heinrich pp. 163-166 figs. 3A-3E, 4A-4F
2004Staffia aenigmatica Kielan-Jaworowska et al. pp. 253, 256-257

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
RankNameAuthor
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
subclassSynapsida
—Therapsida()
infraorderCynodontia()
—Mammaliamorpha
—Mammaliaformes
classMammalia
—Allotheria()
orderMultituberculataCope 1884
familyHaramyidae
genusStaffia
speciesaenigmatica

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Staffia aenigmatica Heinrich 1999
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
W. -D. Heinrich 1999Based on a cheek tooth, tentatively identified as a lower posterior premolar. Tooth crown elongated, pinched in the anterior portion, tapered posteriorly, basined, with two longitudinally aligned rows of cusps decreasing successively in height and size posteriorly. Two-rooted . Lingual and labial rows with three cusps bordering an. elongated central basin limited by main cusp Ll anteriorly and closed off by an U-shaped rim posteriorly. Distinguished from previously described haramiyids by the presence of synclines (valleys) having well-rounded floors, in particular principal syncline LS, that is situated between lingual cusps L1 and L2 and opened anterolingually. Syncline size decreases successively posteriorly. Principal cusp Ll placed more medially than the remaining cusps of the tooth crown. Anterior face of the tooth crown with an indentation, but without cingular ledge and basal cusps. Enamel surface smooth.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialc
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: arborealo
Diet: herbivoreo
Created: 2005-09-01 17:42:57
Modified: 2005-09-01 19:42:57
Source: o = order, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Carroll 1988, Jenkins and Krause 1983, Hopson 1973, Hendy et al. 2009

Age range: Late/Upper Kimmeridgian or 155.70000 to 150.80000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian155.7 - 150.8Tanzania (Lindi) Staffia aenigmatica (type locality: 47146)