HOME | DD

Description
Potamolambda longis
(Long riverine lambda)

Clade: Pantodonta
Age: 56 million years ago

Description:
Another peculiar type of derived mammals that exists in the Atlantean Paleocene, are the pantodonts. They probably made the cross via island hopping, land bridges, sea level variations, and/or rafting. One of the most embelmatic and earliest described Paleocene pantodont fossils are uncovered from São Miguel Formation, dating to the latest Paleocene, some 56 million years ago, very close to the cusp of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum: Potamolambda longis.

There are other species of Potamolambda that were described over the decades, but this is the most complete species. It surpassed a meter in length, making it a considerably sized pantodont. Surprisingly enough, and unlike a majority of pantodonts, it possessed a rather short tail, making it resemble something like a capibara. Very complete fossils show them congregated in more than one individual, suggesting Potamolambda was gregarious. On top of that, we also have hairy integument preserved. Potamolambda was a generalist herbivore with low-crowned selenodont teeth. It presents a lot of similarities with Pantolambda, indicating it was maybe a descendant of it. It had a large head with two pairs of large canines that were possibly used for combat and self defense, not too different from modern peccaries. In terms of ecology, it is believed they were semi-aquatic animals, not indifferent from capibaras, spending time munching on vegetation both on land and around water, possibly using water as a refuge from predators. Although traditionally associated with cimolestids, more recent studies support a possible position within Scrotifera, however, this idea must be challenged futurely with new studies.

#atlantisbestiary

This is a specevo entry for Hyrotrioskjan's Phase I of Atlantis Bestiary, a community spec evo project focused on an island that forms east to North America, some 66 million years ago or so. This Phase I was dedicated to the later part of the Paleocene stage (61-56 mya, more or less), with two new phases following this one, respectively covering the late Miocene and then the Quaternary, as the island moves further into the north Atlantic and approaches Iberia.

This submission of mine was canonized back when Phase I was finished, and has generated a number of descendants that made it into Phase II.

Description
Potamolambda longis
(Long riverine lambda)

Clade: Pantodonta
Age: 56 million years ago

Description:
Another peculiar type of derived mammals that exists in the Atlantean Paleocene, are the pantodonts. They probably made the cross via island hopping, land bridges, sea level variations, and/or rafting. One of the most embelmatic and earliest described Paleocene pantodont fossils are uncovered from São Miguel Formation, dating to the latest Paleocene, some 56 million years ago, very close to the cusp of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum: Potamolambda longis.

There are other species of Potamolambda that were described over the decades, but this is the most complete species. It surpassed a meter in length, making it a considerably sized pantodont. Surprisingly enough, and unlike a majority of pantodonts, it possessed a rather short tail, making it resemble something like a capibara. Very complete fossils show them congregated in more than one individual, suggesting Potamolambda was gregarious. On top of that, we also have hairy integument preserved. Potamolambda was a generalist herbivore with low-crowned selenodont teeth. It presents a lot of similarities with Pantolambda, indicating it was maybe a descendant of it. It had a large head with two pairs of large canines that were possibly used for combat and self defense, not too different from modern peccaries. In terms of ecology, it is believed they were semi-aquatic animals, not indifferent from capibaras, spending time munching on vegetation both on land and around water, possibly using water as a refuge from predators. Although traditionally associated with cimolestids, more recent studies support a possible position within Scrotifera, however, this idea must be challenged futurely with new studies.

#atlantisbestiary

This is a specevo entry for Hyrotrioskjan's Phase I of Atlantis Bestiary, a community spec evo project focused on an island that forms east to North America, some 66 million years ago or so. This Phase I was dedicated to the later part of the Paleocene stage (61-56 mya, more or less), with two new phases following this one, respectively covering the late Miocene and then the Quaternary, as the island moves further into the north Atlantic and approaches Iberia.

This submission of mine was canonized back when Phase I was finished, and has generated a number of descendants that made it into Phase II.