Proargyrohyrax

Proargyrohyrax is an extinct genus of interatheriine notoungulates that lived from the Early to Middle Oligocene in what is now Argentina. Fossils of this genus have been found in the Sarmiento Formation of Argentina.^[1][2][3]

Proargyrohyrax Temporal range: Early-Middle Oligocene (Tinguirirican) ~33.9–31.0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Dental and mandibular fragment of Proargyrohyrax curanderensis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	†Notoungulata
Family:	†Interatheriidae
Subfamily:	†Interatheriinae
Genus:	†Proargyrohyrax Hitz et al. 2000
Species:	†P. curanderensis
Binomial name
†Proargyrohyrax curanderensis Hitz et al. 2000

Etymology

The genus name, Proargyrohyrax, is derived from "pro", meaning "before", and Argyrohyrax, not only referring to the similarity of the latter genus but also its earlier occurrence. The specific name, curanderensis, refers to the geographic location where it was found, La Curandera.^[1]

Description

Proargyrohyrax is a small-sized interatheriid. Proargyrohyrax mostly resembles Santiagorothia, in having a well-developed parastyle that curves in a labial orientation and connects to the moderately developed column of the paracone. In addition, Proargyrohyrax can be distinguished from Santiagorothia in having the upper and lower premolars more molariform, a larger development of the labial fossettes on the upper premolars, and the widened trigonid and talonid on the third premolar.^[1][2]