Reassessing the phylogeny and divergence times of sloths (Mammalia: Pilosa: Folivora), exploring alternative morphological partitioning and dating models
Author
Casali, Daniel M
Author
Boscaini, Alberto
Author
Gaudin, Timothy J
Author
Perini, Fernando A
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2022
2022-12-01
196
4
1505
1551
https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/196/4/1505/6617197
journal article
10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac041
0024-4082
7381236
Thalassocnini
plus
Megatheriini
PP = 99, age = 12.03 Mya (10.56–13.75).
This clade was consistently recovered in all analyses performed in this study although, as stated above, a monophyletic Thalassocnini is absent from par_IW5.
The clade was supported by nine synapomorphies (seven for both methods and two exclusively for BI): premolariform portion of palate much shorter than the length of molariform toothrow (BI); lateral and medial palatal processes of maxilla of equivalent length; ectotympanic fused dorsally; hypoglossal foramen recessed dorsally, lies at same level as jugular foramen (BI); hemispherical glenoid fossa; three shallow grooves for tendons of m.flexor hallucis longus, m.flexor digitorum longus and m. tibialis caudalis; odontoid process of astragalus well defined along entire proximodistal length of tibial surface; discoid and odontoid facets of astragalus roughly at right angles to one another in distal view; and proximodistal length of astragalus greater than or equal to anteroposterior length.