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Pholidocercus

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Pholidocercus
Temporal range: Early Eocene, 47 Ma
P. hassiacus at the HMNS
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Amphilemuridae
Genus: Pholidocercus
von Koenigswald & Storch, 1983
Type species
P. hassiacus
von Koenigswald & Storch, 1983
Restoration
Pholidocercus hassiacus von Koenigswald and Storch 1983 with partially preserved fur and long, thick, scaled tail. Paratype of the publication

Pholidocercus is an extinct monotypic genus of mammal from the Messel pit related to and resembling the modern-day hedgehog with a single species, Pholidocercus hassiacus. Like the hedgehog, it was covered in thin spines. Unlike hedgehogs, it had scales on its head in a helmet-like formation, and had a long, thick, scaled tail.

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