Phiomia

Fee-o-my-ah.
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Nisha Yadav

Physicist

Nisha Yadav is a dedicated physicist whose work bridges the gap between physics and paleontology. With a deep interest in the processes that preserve ancient life, she explores how physical principles govern fossilization and the preservation of extinct species.

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Name

Phiomia ‭(‬Named after the Faiyum of Egypt‭).

Phonetic

Fee-o-my-ah.

Named By

C.‭ ‬W.‭ ‬Andrews‭ & ‬H.‭ ‬J.‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Beadnell‭ ‬-‭ ‬1902.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Proboscidea,‭ ‬Phiomiidae.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

P.‭ ‬serridens‭

Size

Up to‭ ‬2.5‭ ‬meters high at the shoulder.

Known locations

Egypt‭ ‬-‭ ‬Gebel Qatrani Formation.‭ ‬Ethiopia.‭ ‬Libya.

Time Period

Priarbonian of the Eocene through to the Rupelian of the Oligocene.

Fossil representation

Several individuals.

In Depth

       Phiomia was a primitive proboscean of the Eocene/Oligocene that was still quite similar in appearance to a modern elephant.‭ ‬One of the key features about Phiomia was the lower mouth where two tusks grew forwards into a shovel-like structure.‭ ‬This may have been used to shovel up plants from out of the ground,‭ ‬or perhaps even to strip bark off of trees.‭ ‬Phiomia likely had a trunk,‭ ‬however there is some uncertainty as to exactly how long this trunk would have been.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A preliminary note on some new mammals from the Upper Eocene of Egypt.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Survey Department,‭ ‬Public Works Ministry,‭ ‬Egypt.‭ ‬-‭ ‬C.‭ ‬W.‭ ‬Andrews‭ & ‬H.‭ ‬J.‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Beadnell‭ ‬-‭ ‬1902. -‭ ‬New large−bodied mammals from the late Oligocene site of Chilga,‭ ‬Ethiopia.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Acta Palaeontologica Polonica‭ ‬49‭(‬3‭)‬:365-392.‭ ‬-‭ ‬W.‭ ‬Sanders,‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Kappelman‭ & ‬D.‭ ‬T.‭ ‬Rasmussen‭ ‬-‭ ‬2004.

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