Gelocidae

The Gelocidae are an extinct family of hornless ruminantia that are estimated to have lived during the Eocene and Oligocene epochs, from 36 MYA to 6 MYA. The family generally includes ruminants with dental traits of both the Tragulina and Pecora, making it a notorious wastebasket taxon with unresolved affinities.

Gelocidae Temporal range: Priabonian-Messinian, 36.0–6.0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Gelocus communis mandibles, Museum of Natural History Basel
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Infraorder:	Tragulina
Family:	†Gelocidae Schlosser, 1886
Genera
Phaneromeryx Paragelocus Paragelocus Gelocus Pseudogelocus Prodremotherium Cryptomeryx Pseudoceras Gobiomeryx Rutitherium Eumeryx

Description

Members of the family Gelocidae were long-legged, even-toed ungulates adapted for running and grazing. The Gelocidae likely share a close common ancestor with Moschidae and were of a similar size and shape. They had similar dentition and proportions to members of Moschidae, but lacked the sabre-like tusks of the modern musk deer.

Bibliography

Webb, S. D.; Taylor, B. E. (31 December 1980). "The phylogeny of hornless ruminants and a description of the cranium of Archaeomeryx". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 167: 117–158. Retrieved 21 July 2016.