Taxonomy Notiomastodon

two gomphothere teeth cuvier (1806) referring “mastodonte des cordillères” , b referring “mastodonte humboldien”

proboscideans in south america first described georges cuvier in 1806 failed give them specific names beyond mastodon . fischer in 1814 gave “mastodonte des cordillères” specimen first specific name mastotherium hyodon .in 1824, cuvier gave specific names of mastodon andium “mastodonte des cordillères” specimen, , mastodon humboldtii “mastodonte humboldien”. due principle of priority, means mastodon andium invalid, mastotherium hyodon named first same specimen. today, neither tooth considered diagnostic specific taxon. notiomastodon, southern mastodon named cabrera (1929). assigned gomphotheriidae carroll (1988).

for centuries, taxonomy of gompotheres, including notiomastodon had been subject debate, many genus , species names similar south american gompotheres. species genus under dispute, whether should belong notiomasodon or stegomastodon regardless of genus, species considered synonymous haplomastodon authors, specimens not considered morphologically distinct species. article treats notiomastodon separately because in phylogenetic analyses, notiomastodon/stegomastodon platensis specimens not sister taxa, make genus polyphyletic. authors think inconclusive, think north american stegomastodon material scarce , fragmentary make definitive statement.

evolution

notiomastodon belongs family gomphotheriidae, group of animals distantly related modern elephants , mammoths. notiomastodon seems have had 4 million year long ghost lineage, diverging clade contains rhynchotherium , cuvieronius around late miocene. imply notiomastodon had been evolving in southern central america fossils poorly sampled, prior migration south america during pliocene or pleistocene.

phylogenetic position among trilophodont gomphotheres according mothé et al., 2016:

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