Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Epimys (Aethomys) (rock rat)

Osteichthyes - Rodentia - Muridae

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1915Aethomys Thomas p. 477
1915Epimys (Aethomys) Thomas p. 477
1997Aethomys McKenna and Bell

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

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
—EuarchontogliresMurphy et al. 2001
—GliriformesWyss and Meng 1996
—Glires()
—Simplicidentata()
orderRodentiaBowdich 1821
infraorderMyodontaSchaub 1958
superfamilyMuroideaIlliger 1811
—Eumuroida
familyMuridaeIlliger 1811
subfamilyMurinae
genusEpimysFischer 1803
subgenusAethomys()

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.

Subg. Epimys (Aethomys) Thomas 1915 [rock rat]
show all | hide all
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialsubc
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: ground dwellingg
Diet: herbivoref
Diet 2: insectivoref
Reproduction: viviparoussubc
Created: 2012-05-15 12:53:50
Modified: 2012-05-14 21:53:50
Source: g = genus, f = family, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988, Samuels and Van Valkenburgh 2008, Nowak 1991, Ji et al. 2002, Lillegraven 1979

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Zanclean to the top of the Holocene or 5.33300 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 3.6 Ma

Collections (30 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Messinian - Piacenzian7.246 - 2.58South Africa (Cape) Aethomys sp. (59167)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6South Africa Aethomys adamanticola, Aethomys modernis (22221 22222)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.58South Africa Aethomys namaquensis (22353) Aethomys namaquensis, Aethomys chrysophilus (22339 22341)
Late/Upper Pliocene - Pleistocene3.6 - 0.0117South Africa Aethomys namaquensis (22334) Aethomys namaquensis, Aethomys chrysophilus (22333)
Gelasian2.58 - 1.8Ethiopia Aethomys deheinzelini (21545 21625 21681)
Early/Lower Pleistocene2.58 - 0.774Zambia Aethomys chrysophilus (68339)
Gelasian - Calabrian2.58 - 0.774Kenya Aethomys sp. (21377 21456 21502)
Pleistocene2.58 - 0.0117South Africa Aethomys namaquensis (21915)
Pleistocene - Holocene2.58 - 0.0South Africa Aethomys namaquensis, Aethomys chrysophilus (21949)
Calabrian1.8 - 0.774Tanzania (Lake Natron Basin) Aethomys lavocati (22558 22583)
Calabrian1.8 - 0.774South Africa Aethomys namaquensis (21961)
Calabrian1.8 - 0.774Kenya Aethomys sp. (21507)
Calabrian1.8 - 0.774Tanzania Aethomys lavocati (22041 22064 22628)
Middle Pleistocene0.774 - 0.129Zambia Aethomys chrysophilus, Aethomys kaiseri (68340 68341 68342)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Zambia Aethomys chrysophilus, Aethomys kaiseriwalambae (21894)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0South Africa Aethomys namaquensis (21896)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0South Africa (N. Transraal) Aethomys namaquensis, Aethomys chrysophilus (21693)