Argyrolagus
Sign in to saveAlso known as Argyrolagus palmeri
Argyrolagus is an extinct genus of South American metatherian, belonging to the order Polydolopimorpha from the Early Pliocene Monte Hermoso Formation, Patagonia, Argentina.
~1 min read
Encyclopedic overview
2 sectionsContents
- See also
- References
Argyrolagus is an extinct genus of South American metatherian, belonging to the order Polydolopimorpha from the Early Pliocene Monte Hermoso Formation, Patagonia, Argentina.
Jumping on its hind legs, the long (without tail) Argyrolagus resembled a gerbil or kultarr. It had a long tail for balance, and a narrow head with a pointed snout. Judging from its huge eyes, Argyrolagus was nocturnal. The form of its teeth suggest that it would have fed on desert plants. A 2019 study confirmed that Argyrolagus was probably adapted for bipedal jumping and was probably also well adapted for digging.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Argyrolagus” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.