Ankalagon saurognathus
Ankalagon is an extinct genus of carnivorous mammal of the family Mesonychidae, endemic to North America during the Paleocene epoch (63.3—60.2 mya), existing for approximately . There is only one known species: the type species Ankalagon saurognathus. Discovered in the Nacimiento Formation of New Mexico, Ankalagon is the largest mesonychid known from the Paleocene of North America and it provides the best evidence for sexual dimorphism in the group.
Article
4 sectionsContents
- Taxonomy
- Description
- Paleoecology
- References
Ankalagon is an extinct genus of carnivorous mammal of the family Mesonychidae, endemic to North America during the Paleocene epoch (63.3—60.2 mya), existing for approximately . There is only one known species: the type species Ankalagon saurognathus. Discovered in the Nacimiento Formation of New Mexico, Ankalagon is the largest mesonychid known from the Paleocene of North America and it provides the best evidence for sexual dimorphism in the group.
== Taxonomy == The generic name refers to the dragon Ancalagon, who was mentioned in The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien. In The Silmarillion, Ancalagon was described as being one of the more powerful servants of the malevolent being, Morgoth, having been bred to be the fiercest, mightiest, and largest dragon in all of Middle-earth. According to Tolkien, "Ancalagon" translates from Sindarin as being anc 'jaw', alag 'impetuous'. The species name, "saurognathus," translates as "lizard jaw."