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Blastomeryx gemmifer

Mammalia - Moschidae

Taxonomy
Merycodus gemmifer was named by Cope (1874). Its type specimen is AMNH 8300, a tooth, and it is a 3D body fossil. It is the type species of Blastomeryx.

It was recombined as Dicrocerus gemmifer by Cope (1875), Cope (1875); it was recombined as Blastomeryx gemmifer by Cope (1877), Scott (1890), Cope (1893), Hay (1902), Matthew (1904), Matthew (1908), Matthew (1924), Frick (1937), Galbreath (1953), Webb (1998), Prothero (2007), Prothero (2008).

Sister species lacking formal opinion data
B. schultzi

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1874Merycodus gemmifer Cope p. 22
1875Dicrocerus gemmifer Cope p. 257
1877Blastomeryx gemmifer Cope
1890Blastomeryx gemmifer Scott
1893Blastomeryx gemmifer Cope p. 39
1902Blastomeryx gemmifer Hay p. 682
1904Blastomeryx gemmifer Matthew p. 124 fig. 17
1908Blastomeryx gemmifer Matthew p. 544
1909Blastomeryx elegans Matthew and Cook p. 410 fig. 23
1924Blastomeryx gemmifer Matthew
1924Blastomeryx medius Matthew
1937Blastomeryx francesca Frick
1937Blastomeryx gemmifer Frick
1937Blastomeryx mefferdi Frick
1953Blastomeryx gemmifer Galbreath
1998Blastomeryx gemmifer Webb
1998Blastomeryx medius Webb
2007Blastomeryx gemmifer Prothero p. 224
2008Blastomeryx gemmifer Prothero

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Eugnathostomata
—Teleostomi(Bonaparte 1836)
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
—Euungulata
—Artiodactylamorpha
—Artiodactyla()
—Ruminantiamorpha
—Ruminantia(Scopoli 1777)
—Pecora()
superfamilyBovoidea
familyMoschidae
subfamilyBlastomerycinaeFrick 1937
genusBlastomeryxCope 1877
speciesgemmifer()

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.

†Blastomeryx gemmifer Cope 1874
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Invalid names: Blastomeryx elegans Matthew and Cook 1909 [synonym], Blastomeryx francesca Frick 1937 [synonym], Blastomeryx medius Matthew 1924 [synonym], Blastomeryx mefferdi Frick 1937 [synonym]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
D. R. Prothero 2008Medium-sized blastomerycine (m1-3 length = 25- 26 mm; p2-4 length = 17-21 mm) with slightly reduced premolars (p2-4 length = 40-70% of m1-3 length). Larger than most specimens of Problastomeryx and Pseudoblastomeryx, with more reduced premolars. Smaller than most specimens of Parablastomeryx. Larger than most specimens of Longirostromeryx, without the elongated rostrum and sym- physis of that taxon.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialo
Locomotion: actively mobilep
Life habit: ground dwellingf
Diet: browserf
Diet 2: grazerf
Reproduction: viviparoussubc
Created: 2005-06-08 10:11:09
Modified: 2005-08-23 13:15:44
Source: f = family, o = order, subc = subclass, subp = subphylum, p = phylum
References: Carroll 1988, Nowak 1999, Nowak 1991, Kiessling 2004, Lillegraven 1979

Age range: base of the Miocene to the top of the Clarendonian or 23.04000 to 9.40000 Ma

Collections (30 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Arikareean29.5 - 18.5USA (Montana) Blastomeryx gemmifer (17509)
Miocene23.04 - 5.333USA (Oregon) Blastomeryx gemmifer (18957 19028)
Hemingfordian18.5 - 16.3USA (Nebraska) Blastomeryx gemmifer (17867 17871 17920) Blastomeryx medius (18001)
Barstovian16.3 - 12.5USA (Nebraska) Blastomeryx gemmifer (18090 18144 18208 18261 18284) Blastomeryx mefferdi (18124)
Barstovian16.3 - 12.5USA (New Mexico) Blastomeryx francesca (19287 19535)
Barstovian16.3 - 12.5Canada (Saskatchewan) Blastomeryx elegans (18758 18759 18761 18794 18797 18799)
Early/Lower Barstovian16.3 - 12.5USA (Nebraska) Blastomeryx elegans (17905 17976) Blastomeryx gemmifer (17983)
Early/Lower Barstovian16.3 - 12.5USA (New Mexico) Blastomeryx gemmifer (19547)
Early/Lower Barstovian16.3 - 12.5USA (Montana) Blastomeryx elegans (18803) Blastomeryx gemmifer (231898)
Barstovian - Clarendonian16.3 - 9.4USA (Nebraska) Blastomeryx elegans (230906)
Clarendonian12.5 - 9.4USA (Nebraska) Blastomeryx gemmifer (18106 18260)