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Planetetherium Temporal range: Latest Paleocene
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Dermoptera
Family:	†Plagiomenidae
Genus:	†Planetetherium Simpson, 1928
Species:	†P. mirabile
Binomial name
†Planetetherium mirabile Simpson, 1928

Planetetherium is an extinct genus of herbivorous gliding mammal endemic to North America during the Paleogene living from 56.8 to 55.4 mya, existing for approximately 1.4 million years.

Fossils have been discovered in strata formed from ancient cypress forests, suggesting that this was the animal's preferred habitat.

Morphology

Plantetherium measured around 25 centimetres (10 in) in length, and its skeleton closely resembled that of its modern relatives. Its teeth already included the comb-like structure distinctive to modern colugos. There is no direct evidence that Planetetherium had the membrane of skin that allows modern colugos to glide, but its bodily proportions suggests that this was likely the case.

References

1. PaleoBiology Database: Planetetherium, basic info
2. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 210. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.

v t e Euarchontoglires
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Subclass: Theria Infraclass: Placentalia
Euarchontoglires †Apatemyidae? Aethomylos Apatemys Asiapator Carcinella Frugivastodon Heterohyus Jepsenella Labidolemur Sinclairella Unuchinia †Picrodontidae? Draconodus Picrodus Zanycteris Gliriformes †Apatemyidae? †Picrodontidae? †Zalambdalestidae? †Anagalidae Anagale Anagalopsis Anaptogale Chianshania Diacronus Eosigale Hsiuannania Huaiyangale Interogale Linnania Qipania Stenanagale Wanogale Zofiagale †Arctostylopidae? Allostylops Anatolostylops Arctostylops Asiostylops Bothriostylops Enantiostylops Kazachostylops Migrostylops Palaeostylops Sinostylops Stenostylops Wanostylops †Astigalidae Astigale Yupingale Zhujegale †Pseudictopidae Allictops Anictops Cartictops Haltictops Paranictops Pseudictops Suyinia Glires Duplicidentata Simplicidentata Euarchonta Scandentia Ptilocercus Tupaiidae Anathana Dendrogale †Palaeotupaia †Prodendrogale †Sivatupaia Tupaia Primatomorpha Dermoptera †Mixodectidae? Dracontolestes Eudaemonema Mixodectes †Plagiomenidae? Ellesmene Plagiomene Planetetherium Worlandia Cynocephalidae Cynocephalus †Dermotherium Galeopterus Pan-Primates see below↓
Pan-Primates Pan-Primates †Asioplesiadapis †Pandemonium †Russellodon †Picrodontidae? †Purgatoriidae? Purgatorius Ursolestes †Micromomyidae Chalicomomys Dryomomys Foxomomys Micromomys Tinimomys †Picromomyidae Alveojunctus Picromomys †Microsyopidae Arctodontomys Bartelsia Berruvius Choctawius Craseops Megadelphus Microsyops Nanomomys Navajovius Niptomomys Uintasorex †Toliapinidae Avenius Toliapina †Paromomyoidea Paromomyidae Acidomomys Arcius Edworthia Elwynella Ignacius Paromomys Phenacolemur Palaechthonidae Anasazia Palaechthon Palenochtha Phoxomylus Plesiolestes Premnoides Talpohenach Torrejonia †Plesiadapoidea Chronolestes Plesiadapidae Chiromyoides Nannodectes Platychoerops Plesiadapis Pronothodectes Carpolestidae Carpocristes Carpodaptes Carpolestes Carpomegodon Elphidotarsius Saxonella Subengius Crown-Primates Strepsirrhini see Strepsirrhini Haplorhini see Haplorhini
See also: Anagaloidea Plesiadapiformes Category

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