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Siamotherium: a lesson in convergence

Wednesday, January 8, 2025 17:43

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In 2019 we looked at
Siamotherium (Fig 1) when it first entered the large reptile tree (LRT, 2330 taxa). Back then it seemed to nest with Anagale (Fig 1).

Figure 1. Siamotherium to scale with Anagale. Both nest basal to the tenrec-odontocete clade in 2019. ” data-image-caption=”

Figure 1. Siamotherium to scale with Anagale. Both nest basal to the tenrec-odontocete clade in 2019.

” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/siamotherium-pondaungensis588.jpg?w=290″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/siamotherium-pondaungensis588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-90945″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/siamotherium-pondaungensis588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Siamotherium to scale with Anagale. Both nest basal to the tenrec-odontocete clade in 2019.” width=”584″ height=”604″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/siamotherium-pondaungensis588.jpg?w=584&h=604 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/siamotherium-pondaungensis588.jpg?w=145&h=150 145w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/siamotherium-pondaungensis588.jpg?w=290&h=300 290w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/siamotherium-pondaungensis588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />

Figure 1. Siamotherium to scale with Anagale. Both nested basal to the tenrec-odontocete clade in 2019. See figure 2 for the 2025 nesting.

Traditional nesting
places Siamotherium with anthracotheres (Fig 2), large artiodactyls derived from pigs.

This is now supported by the LRT.

Figure 2. Small Siamotherium now nests in the LRT between smaller Cainotherium and much larger Anthracotherium. ” data-image-caption=”

Figure 2. Small Siamotherium now nests in the LRT between smaller Cainotherium and much larger Anthracotherium.

” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/anthracotherium_gastaldii_588.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/anthracotherium_gastaldii_588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-90942″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/anthracotherium_gastaldii_588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Small Siamotherium now nests in the LRT between smaller Cainotherium and much larger Anthracotherium.” width=”584″ height=”445″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/anthracotherium_gastaldii_588.jpg?w=584&h=445 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/anthracotherium_gastaldii_588.jpg?w=150&h=114 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/anthracotherium_gastaldii_588.jpg?w=300&h=229 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/anthracotherium_gastaldii_588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />

Figure 2. Small Siamotherium now nests in the LRT between smaller Cainotherium and much larger Anthracotherium. Note the robust jugal in Siamotherium and Anthrotherium, one more trait that links these two taxa.

Wikipedia – Anthracotheriidae reports,
“Anthracotheriidae is a paraphyletic family of extinct, hippopotamus-like artiodactyl ungulates related to hippopotamuses and whales.”

This hypothesis of interrelationships is not supported by the LRT where Anthracotherium (Fig 2) is derived from Cainotherium (Fig 2) and pigs (Sus).

Siamotherium has been a major headache
to nest in the LRT due to its similarity to several unrelated taxa by convergence.

Hopefully this new interpretation and scoring will resolve prior issues.

Siamotherium pondaungensis
(Suteethorn et al. 1988; Soe et al. 2017; Eocene) was originally considered a small anthracothere close to Hippopotamus, but here nests with Cainotherium and Anthracotherium. Siamotherium has a distinct, robust jugal similar to that of Anthracotherium. Convergence with unrelated Anagale is apparent.

References
Soe AN et al. (6 co-authors) 2017. New remains of Siamotherium pondaungensis (Cetartiodactyla, Hippopotamoidea) from the Eocene of Pondaung, Myanmar: Paleoecologic and phylogenetic implications. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 37(1):e1270290https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2017.1270290
Suteethorn V, Buffetaut E Helmcke-Ingava Rt JaegerJ-J and Jongkanjanasoontorn Y 1988. Oldest known Tertiary mammals from South-East Asia: Middle Eocene primate and anthracotheres from Thailand. Neues Jahrbuch f€ur Geologie und Palaontologie, Monatshefte 9:563–570.

wiki/Anthracotheriidae
wiki/Siamotherium – not posted yet

Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/01/09/siamotherium-a-lesson-in-convergence/

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