Russellagus
| Russellagus Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Lagomorpha |
| Family: | Ochotonidae |
| Genus: | †Russellagus |
| Species: | †R. vonhofi
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Russellagus vonhofi Storer, 1970
| |
Russellagus is an extinct genus of lagomorph that lived in North America during the Miocene epoch.[1]
Description
Russellagus vonhofi had rooted, hypsodont postcanine teeth. Its mandible contained mental foramina beneath the trigonids of the first molar and the fourth premolar, with the latter mental foramen being smaller than the former. The ventral border of horizontal ramus was straight below the postcanine teeth, and it curved sharply ventrally to the angle. The lower molariform teeth had narrower and mesiodistally lengthened talonids than trigonids. The upper cheek teeth were unilaterally hypsodont.[2]
Palaeobiology
In contrast to the mandibular incisors of Ondatra, the maxillary fourth premolars of Russellagus exhibited significant change with wear.[3]
References
- ^ "PBDB". Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ^ Storer, John E. (1 August 1970). "New rodents and lagomorphs from the Upper Miocene Wood Mountain Formation of southern Saskatchewan". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 7 (4): 1125–1129. doi:10.1139/e70-106. ISSN 0008-4077. Retrieved 18 November 2025 – via Canadian Science Publishing.
- ^ Bair, Andrea R. (1 January 2007). "A model of wear in curved mammal teeth: controls on occlusal morphology and the evolution of hypsodonty in lagomorphs". Paleobiology. 33 (1): 53–75. doi:10.1666/06044.1. ISSN 0094-8373. Retrieved 17 January 2026 – via GeoScienceWorld.