O. daouiensis Gheerbrant & Sudre, 2001 O. grandis Gheerbrant, 2014
Ocepeia is an extinct genus of afrotherian mammal that lived in present-day Morocco during the middle Paleocene epoch, approximately 60 million years ago. First named and described in 2001, the type species is O. daouiensis from the Selandian stage of Morocco's Ouled Abdoun Basin. A second, larger species, O. grandis, is known from the Thanetian, a slightly younger stage in the same area. In life, the two species are estimated to have weighed about 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) and 10 kg (22 lb), respectively, and are believed to have been specialized leaf-eaters. The fossil skulls of Ocepeia are the oldest known afrotherian skulls, and the best-known of any Paleocene mammal in Africa.
Ocepeia was initially grouped with the archaic ungulates known as "condylarths", but Ocepeia shares several features with primitive paenungulates (a group including elephants, hyraxes, and extinct relatives), but some analyses suggest it is more closely related to Afroinsectiphilia (a group containing aardvarks, golden moles, and tenrecs). As such, it may represent a transitional stage in the evolution of paenungulates from insectivore-like mammals. Unusual features of Ocepeia include skull bones with many air-spaces, and teeth and jaws reminiscent of those of simian primates. Ocepeia is distinct enough from other groups that it is placed in its own family, Ocepeiidae.
Ocepeia lived at a time when northwest Africa was at the intersection of the Atlantic Ocean and the ancient Tethys Ocean, and much of the area was flooded by shallow, warm inland seas. Ocepeia fossils are associated with diverse sharks, birds, and marine reptiles, and a small number of early mammals, including other condylarths and early proboscideans. The early appearance and specialized features of Ocepeia suggest afrotherians originated and diversified within Africa, contrary to theories suggesting a more northern origin.
Ocepeia is an extinct genus of afrotherian mammal that lived in present-day Morocco during the middle Paleocene epoch, approximately 60 million years...
paleontological record to support was lacking until reexamination of the genera Ocepeia and Abdounodus, as well as the description of the basal Hadrogeneios in...
idea that at least part of this group forms a clade. The Paleocene genus Ocepeia, which is the most completely-known Paleocene African mammal and the oldest...
contemporary of more derived members of the group such as Abdounodus, Ocepeia, and the early proboscideans Eritherium, Phosphatherium, and Daouitherium...
Perissodactyla. The rodent-like hyrax A bull bush elephant A manatee and her calf Ocepeia, a basal species Arsinoitherium, a rhino-like embrithopod Desmostylus,...
that have living members in modern day—such as the earliest afrotherian Ocepeia, xenarthran Utaetus, rodent Tribosphenomys and Paramys, the forerunners...
Mbarek; Bouya, Baadi; Goussard, Florent; Letenneur, Charlène (2014-02-26). "Ocepeia (Middle Paleocene of Morocco): The Oldest Skull of an Afrotherian Mammal"...
Gheerbrant, E; Amaghzaz, M; Bouya, B; Goussard, F; Letenneur, C (2014). "Ocepeia (Middle Paleocene of Morocco): the oldest skull of an afrotherian mammal"...
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