afrotherian

Afrotheria is a superorder of placental mammals that represents a major African-origin radiation. Based on molecular data, Afrotheria diverged from other placental mammals in the early Paleocene, after the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, and subsequently diversified in Africa. The group comprises six extant orders: Tubulidentata (aardvark), Proboscidea (elephants), Hyracoidea (hyraxes), Sirenia (manatees and dugongs), Afrosoricida (golden moles and tenrecs), and Macroscelidea (elephant shrews). Within Afrotheria, two well-supported clades are Paenungulata, which includes Proboscidea, Sirenia and Hyracoidea; and Afroinsectiphilia, which includes Afrosoricida and Macroscelidea.

Afrotherians occupy a broad range of habitats and ecological roles. The large, terrestrial elephants are among the best known; sirenians are aquatic herbivores of coastal waters; hyraxes are small, often rock-dwelling herbivores; aardvarks are nocturnal insectivores with distinctive tubular teeth; Afrosoricida comprises small to medium insectivorous or omnivorous mammals; elephant shrews are small insectivores of Africa.

The distribution today is largely concentrated in Africa and Madagascar, with some lineages extending into Asia, the Americas, and other regions through ancient dispersal and vicariance events. The Afrotheria concept reflects strong molecular evidence for deep evolutionary relationships among these lineages, and ongoing research continues to refine their phylogeny and timing of diversification.