Sudamerica

Sudamerica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Therapsida Class: Mammalia Taxon[?]: Gondwanatheria Family: Sudamericidae Genus: Sudamerica
Species
S. ameghinoi
Ref.

Sudamerica is an extinct mammal genus from the Paleocene of Patagonia. It was a member of the extinct taxon of Gondwanatheria, and lived just after 'the age of the dinosaurs'.
The position of gondwanatherians within Mammalia is not yet clear.

Genus: Sudamerica Svillszo-Yané & Pascual R, 1984
'South America'
Aka: Sudamericana

Species: Sudamerica ameghinoi Svillszo-Yané & Pascual R, 1984
Place: Punta Peligro, Patagonia
Country: Argentina
Age: lower Paleocene
Remarks: In common with Gondwanatherium, this genus had high-crowned teeth, which are very useful for eaters of grass. As there's no evidence of grass in South America until later, they must also have been effective for other food stuffs, (with thanks to Martin Jehle). In 1999, a near complete dentary was found, (a lower jaw).
Reference:

Page reference: McKenna MC & Bell SK, (1997), Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level. Columbia University Press.

(This information has been derived from [1] (http://home.arcor.de/ktdykes/gondwanatheria.htm) MESOZOIC MAMMALS; Gondwanatheria, an internet directory. As that's my webpage, there are no issues of copyright. Trevor Dykes)