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Metalopex merriami

Osteichthyes - Carnivora - Canidae

Taxonomy
Metalopex merriami was named by Tedford and Wang (2008). Its type specimen is F:AM 49282, a partial skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Thousand Creek Formation, which is in a Hemphillian terrestrial horizon in the Thousand Creek Formation of Nevada.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2008Metalopex merriami Tedford and Wang p. 274 figs. 1A–I; Tables 1 and 2
2008Metalopex merriami Wang et al.
2009Metalopex merriami Tedford et al. p. 62 figs. 7, 25A–I, 28; appendices 2, 3

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
subclassSynapsida
Therapsida()
infraorderCynodontia()
Mammaliamorpha
RankNameAuthor
Mammaliaformes
classMammalia
Cladotheria
Zatheria
subclassTribosphenida()
subclassTheria
Eutheria()
Placentalia
Boreoeutheria
Laurasiatheria
Scrotifera
Ferae()
Pancarnivora
CarnivoramorphaWyss and Flynn 1993
CarnivoraformesFlynn et al.
orderCarnivora
familyCanidae
subfamilyCaninaeGill 1872
tribeVulpiniHemprich and Ehrenberg 1832
genusMetalopex
speciesmerriami

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.

Metalopex merriami Tedford and Wang 2008
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
R. H. Tedford et al. 2009Differs from M. macconnelli in larger size, wider muzzle, temporal crests joining anterior to frontal parietal suture to form strong sagittal crest; occiput broader with stronger lambdoidal crests; bullae small- er relative to size of skull; I2 with stronger lateral cusplet and stronger lingual cingulum; I3 with stronger medial cusplet, larger lingual shelf, and more laterally compressed; cheek tooth dentition taller crowned; M1 and M2 more quadrate with weaker labial cingulum on paracone of M1; m1 more robust with paraconid more oblique, wider talonid with posterior cingulum extremely weak or absent; m2 larger relative to m1; and m3 trigonid longer relative to length of talonid.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialsubc
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: ground dwellingf
Diet: carnivoref
Diet 2: omnivoref
Reproduction: viviparoussubc
Created: 2005-06-08 10:11:09
Modified: 2005-08-22 19:28:06
Source: f = family, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Nowak 1991, Hendy et al. 2009, Lillegraven 1979, Ji et al. 2002, Carroll 1988

Age range: base of the Hemingfordian to the top of the Hemphillian or 18.50000 to 4.70000 Ma

Collections (5 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Hemingfordian - Barstovian18.5 - 12.5USA (Oregon) Metalopex merriami (18864)
Clarendonian12.5 - 9.4USA (California) Metalopex merriami (19393)
Hemphillian9.4 - 4.7USA (Idaho) Metalopex merriami, Vulpes sp. (19085)
Hemphillian9.4 - 4.7USA (Nevada) Metalopex merriami (type locality: 19095)
Hemphillian9.4 - 4.7USA (Nebraska) Metalopex merriami (18431)