Microhyrax

Microhyrax; Temporal range: Eocene 55.8–40.4 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Hyracoidea
Family:	†Pliohyracidae
Subfamily:	†Saghatheriinae
Genus:	†Microhyrax; Sudre, 1979
Species:	†M. lavocati
Binomial name
	†Microhyrax lavocati; Sudre, 1979

Microhyrax is an extinct genus of herbivorous hyracoid mammal. It lived during the Eocene epoch from 55.8 to 40.4 million years ago in modern-day Algeria.

Description

Diagnostic features of Microhyrax distinguishing it from its relatives included its maxillary molars possessing a weakly W-shaped ectoloph, swelling of the paraconule, and a diminutive mesostyle and parastyle. Microhyrax also had a progressively reduced metacone from its M¹ to its M³.

Cladogram

A phylogeny of hyracoids known from the early Eocene through the middle Oligocene epoch.

Eutheria

Afrotheria

Hyracoidea

Seggeurius

Microhyrax

Saghatheriinae

Bunohyrax

Pachyhyrax

Thyrohyrax

	Selenohyrax

	Saghatherium

	Titanohyrax

	Antilohyrax

Megalohyrax

Geniohyiinae

Geniohyus

Proboscidea (elephants)

Perissodactyla

Phenacodontidae

↑ Modern day hyrax species (Procaviidae) may have evolved from smaller members of one of the Saghatheriinae.
↑ The relationship of hyracoids and Perissodactlya is controversial, and not supported by molecular data.

References

↑ "Fossilworks: Microhyrax". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
↑ Tabuce, Rodolphe; Mahboubi, Mohamed; Sudre, Jean (2001). "Reassessment of the Algerian Eocene Hyracoid Microhyrax. The early diversity and basal phylogeny of the Order Hyracoidea (Mammalia)". Eclogae Geologica Helvetiae. 94: 537–545. Retrieved 17 October 2026 – via ResearchGate.
↑ Tabuce, Rodolphe; Marivaux, Laurent; Adaci, Mohammed; Bensalah, Mustapha; Hartenberger, Jean-Louis; Mahboubi, Mohammed; Mebrouk, Fateh; Tafforeau, Paul; Jaeger, Jean-Jacques (28 February 2007). "Early Tertiary mammals from North Africa reinforce the molecular Afrotheria clade". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 274 (1614): 1159–1166. Bibcode:2007PBioS.274.1159T. doi:10.1098/rspb.2006.0229. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC 2189562. PMID 17329227. Retrieved 19 October 2026 – via The Royal Society Publishing.
↑ Gheerbrant, E.; Donming, D.; Tassy, P. (2005). "Paenungulata (Sirenia, Proboscidea, Hyracoidea, and Relatives)". In Rose, Kenneth D.; Archibald, J. David (eds.). The Rise of Placental Mammals: Origins and relationships of the major extant clades. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 84–105. ISBN 978-0801880223.

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[5] Modern day hyrax species (Procaviidae) may have evolved from smaller members of one of the Saghatheriinae.

[6] The relationship of hyracoids and Perissodactlya is controversial, and not supported by molecular data.

[1] "Fossilworks: Microhyrax". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.

[2] Tabuce, Rodolphe; Mahboubi, Mohamed; Sudre, Jean (2001). "Reassessment of the Algerian Eocene Hyracoid Microhyrax. The early diversity and basal phylogeny of the Order Hyracoidea (Mammalia)". Eclogae Geologica Helvetiae. 94: 537–545. Retrieved 17 October 2026 – via ResearchGate.

[3] Tabuce, Rodolphe; Marivaux, Laurent; Adaci, Mohammed; Bensalah, Mustapha; Hartenberger, Jean-Louis; Mahboubi, Mohammed; Mebrouk, Fateh; Tafforeau, Paul; Jaeger, Jean-Jacques (28 February 2007). "Early Tertiary mammals from North Africa reinforce the molecular Afrotheria clade". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 274 (1614): 1159–1166. Bibcode:2007PBioS.274.1159T. doi:10.1098/rspb.2006.0229. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC 2189562. PMID 17329227. Retrieved 19 October 2026 – via The Royal Society Publishing.

[4] Gheerbrant, E.; Donming, D.; Tassy, P. (2005). "Paenungulata (Sirenia, Proboscidea, Hyracoidea, and Relatives)". In Rose, Kenneth D.; Archibald, J. David (eds.). The Rise of Placental Mammals: Origins and relationships of the major extant clades. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 84–105. ISBN 978-0801880223.