Gomphos


Gomphos is an extinct genus of early lagomorph from the early Eocene of the China and Mongolia.
Gomphos was first named in 1975 from material found in the Gashato Formation. There are currently two species in this genus: G. elkema, from the Greek word γόμφος, which means "peg", but can also be used to signify molar teeth; and G. shevyrevae was named later in honour of the lead author who named the first original genus and species of Gomphos elkema.
Analysis supports Gomphos as one of the earliest lagomorphs, the group that includes rabbits, hares and pikas. It is likely that lagomorphs split off from the rest of the placental mammals around the Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary.