Proterix

Proterix is an extinct genus of erinaceid mammal from the Late Oligocene to the Early Miocene of North America.

Proterix Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Early Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Eulipotyphla
Family:	Erinaceidae
Genus:	†Proterix Matthew, 1903
Species
†P. bicuspis †P. loomisi

Ecology

Proterix was most likely a burrowing insectivore.^[1] The original reference suggests reduced limbs may be possible, due to the unusually high number of lumbar vertebrae, but cautions that conclusions must be reserved until a complete skeleton is found.^[2] This proposal was exaggerated in a popular science book by Dougal Dixon, which speculated that it may have been a limbless mammal with an armored head.^[3] Though very little of the post-cranial skeleton has been found, this situation is typical for mammals and not an indicator of unusual anatomy.^[4][2]