Phosphatherium
| Phosphatherium Temporal range: Ypresian, | |
|---|---|
| Holotype of Phosphatherium | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Proboscidea |
| Family: | †Numidotheriidae |
| Genus: | †Phosphatherium Gheerbrant, Sudre & Cappetta, 1996 |
| Species: | †P. escuilliei |
| Binomial name | |
| †Phosphatherium escuilliei Gheerbrant, Sudre & Cappetta, 1996 | |
Phosphatherium escuilliei, named by Gheerbrant, Sudre and Cappetta in 1996, is a basal proboscidean that lived in Africa during the early Eocene, about 56-55 Ma. It is one of the earliest known proboscideans, together with Eritherium azzouzorum from the Selandian (about 60 Ma). It was found in phosphorites beds from the base of the Ypresian stage of the Ouled Abdoun Basin, which is best known for its exceptionally rich marine vertebrate fauna.