PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROJECT IS NOT SCIENTIFIC. IT IS A HOBBY.
"I was looking for information on an old mammal and found this lot. What is this
project?"
It's got lots of information on old mammals. For a short bit of background information, see
here.
Theria (Parker & Haswell, 1897) sensu McKenna
& Bell, 1997 is a supercohort, which sounds impressive. It contains the original
therian mammal and all its descendants. This happens to include placentals,
(Eutheria), and marsupials,
(Metatheria). All existing, live-birthing mammals are
thus members. The only living endothermic, furry critters outside of this
taxon are the egg-laying
monotremes of Australasia.
This directory is an effort to provide a refuge for the more basal representatives, remains
of which are generally very sparse. The final section is a collection of therians of one
kind or another, which have proved difficult to interpret more precisely. |
A. Therians B.
Kermackiidae and Picopsidae C. Waifs and Strays
| Taxon: Within Theria (Parker & Haswell, 1897) sensu
McKenna & Bell, 1997
Until fuller information turns up, this section is arranged as a straightforward a-z.
Genera: Endotherium,
Falepetrus,
Paleomolops, Potamotelses,
Tribotherium, Zygiocuspis,
other reports
Time-Line:
Upper Cretaceous: Falepetrus, Paleomolops,
Potamotelses, Zygiocuspis
Lower Cretaceous: Endotherium, Tribotherium |
| Genus: Dakotadens Eaton JG,
1993
Remarks: This entry has been relocated to:
Dakotadens. Subsequent research has led to accusations of affinities with
marsupials. |
| Genus: Endotherium
Shikama T, 1947
'internal beast'
Family: Endotheriidae Shikama T, 1947
Remarks: Zhang (1984) cites Therictoidea (Gregory, 1910). |
| Species: | Endotherium niinomi Shikama T, 1947 |
| Aka: | E. niimonii |
| Place: | Xinqiu coalmine, Liaoning |
| Country: | China |
| Age: | Aptian (or earlier), Lower Cretaceous |
| Remarks: | Remains of this animal included the middle of the
right mandible with three teeth, and the front part of the
edentulous left mandible. There were also fragments of
scapula and humerus,
(Zhang 1984, p.2). The piece of right jaw had a length of 6mm and a depth of 3mm, (p.3).
The foremost tooth was the largest, and there was a gradual decrease in size along the
series. Reportedly, the teeth were tribosphenic with
well developed trigonids and
talonids. It has been placed within eutheria. The
original author considered it to be close to
Zalambdalestes. However, there wasn't all that much to compare the animal with
in 1947.
Additional notes
Unless any further specimens ever come to light, the affinties of this critter will
remain unresolved. Kielan-Jaworowska, Bown & Lillegraven, 1979 (p.242) reports that
all referred fossils got lost.
This is the species name as it appears in the translation of the Zhang paper. Biosis
indicates niimonii, but that's incorrect.
"... the original specimen has been lost", (Wible et al 2001, p.2). |
| Reference: | Shikama (1947), Teilhardosaurus and Endotherium,
New Jurassic Reptilia and Mammalia from the Husin coal-field, southern Manchuria. Japan
Acad. Proc. 23, p.76-84. |
| Genus: Falepetrus Clemens WA
& Lillegraven JA, 1986
Aka: Falpetrus; Falepterus
Family?: Picopsidae Fox, 1980 |
| Species: | Falepetrus barwini Clemens WA & Lillegraven JA,
1986 |
| Place: | Barwin Quarry, Wyoming & Judith River Formation, Montana |
| Country: | USA |
| Age: | Campanian, Upper Cretaceous |
| Remarks: | Seems to be a second, unnamed species. Some
material is at the AMNH, New York. Kemp, 2005 states the taxon is based on
molars of unclear affinities, (p.173). |
| Reference: | Clemens & Lillegraven (1986), New Late Cretaceous, North
American advanced therian mammals that fit neither the marsupial or eutherian molds.
Contrib. to Geol. Spec. Pap. 3p., p.55-85. |
| Genus: Paleomolops Cifelli
RL, 1994 |
| Species: | Paleomolops langstoni Cifelli RL, 1994 |
| Place: | Aguja Formation, Texas |
| Country: | USA |
| Age: | Campanian, Upper Cretaceous |
| Remarks: |
Based on a right lower molar, which now resides in the Oklahoma
collection, along with eight further specimens. A second species is indicated. |
| Reference: | Cifelli (1994), Therian Mammals of the Terlingua local fauna
(Judithian), Aguja Formation, Big Bend of the Rio Grande, Texas. Contributions to Geology,
30(2). |
| Genus: Potamotelses Fox
RC, 1972
Family: Potamotelsidae Nessov, 1987
Eaton JG reports the genus as present in the Straight Cliffs Formation of Utah, Santonian,
as mentioned in the link. |
| Species: | Potamotelses aquilensis Fox RC, 1972 |
| Place: | Upper Milk River Formation, Alberta |
| Country: | Canada |
| Age: | Coniacian, Upper Cretaceous |
| Remarks: |
Another type fossil which resides in Alberta, which was found in
1970. Evidence indicates another species. I have seen this genus attributed to Nessov, 1987,
which seems unfair. He established the family. |
| Reference: | Fox (1972), Canadian J of Earth Sci, 9, 1479. |
| Genus: Tribotherium
Sigogneau-Russell D, 1991 |
| Species: | Tribotherium africanum Sigogneau-Russell D, 1991 |
| Place: | Anoual |
| Country: | Morocco |
| Age: | ?Berriasian, Lower Cretaceous |
| Remarks: |
This was known from four, isolated, partial upper teeth. They have apparently been referred
to as possibly eutherian, though I don't know if this view's still tenable. It's mentioned
in Wible et al 2001, (p.2).
"Tribotherium africanum is geochronologically older but much more advanced than
Aegialodon dawsoni from the Lower Cretaceous of England, considered previously as
the most primitive tribosphenic mammal (Sigogneau-Russell, 1991b, 1995b). According to
Kielan-Jaworowska (1992), Tribotherium africanum might be regarded as placental",
Heinrich 1998, p.270).
Kemp, 2005 (p.228) mentions the teeth have some eutherian-like characteristics; for
instance, the labial shelf of uppers is narrow. However,
the talonids of lowers possess only two cusps rather than
three. |
| Reference: | Sigogneau-Russell (1991), Découverte du premier mammifère
tribosphénique du Mésozoique africain. C. R. Acad. Sci. Ser. II 313, p.1635-1640. |
| Genus: Zygiocuspis Cifelli RL, 1990
|
| Species: | Zygiocuspis goldingi Cifelli RL, 1990 |
| Place: | Wahweap Formation, Utah |
| Country: | USA |
| Age: | Campanian, Upper Cretaceous |
| Remarks: | Seem to be two species. |
| Reference: | Cifelli (1990), A primitive higher mammal from the Late
Cretaceous of southern Utah. Journal of Mammalogy 71(3), p.343-350. |
A. Therians B. Kermackiidae
and Picopsidae C. Waifs and Strays
| B. KERMACKIIDAE AND PICOPSIDAE |
| Taxa: Kermackiidae Butler PM, 1978
Picopsidae Fox, 1980
Falepetrus might also belong within Picopsidae.
Genera: Comanchea,
Kermackia, Picopsis,
Trinititherium, other reports
Time-Line:
Upper Cretaceous: Picopsis
Lower Cretaceous: Comanchea, Kermackia, Trinititherium |
| Genus: Comanchea Jacobs LL,
Winkler DA & Murry PA, 1989
Family: Picopsidae Fox, 1980 (or Kermackiidae Butler PM, 1978) |
| Species: | Comanchea hilli Jacobs LL, Winkler DA & Murry PA,
1989 |
| Place: | Paluxy Formation, Texas |
| Country: | USA |
| Age: | Albian, Lower Cretaceous |
| Remarks: | A second, unnamed species is a possibility. |
| Reference: | Jacobs, Winkler & Murry (1989), Modern mammal origins:
Evolutionary grades in the Early Cretaceous of North America. Proc. of the Nat. Acad. of
Sci., USA 4992-4995. |
| Genus: Kermackia Slaughter,
1971
'for Kermack'
Family: Kermackiidae Butler PM, 1978 (or perhaps Aegialodontidae Kermack, Kermack &
Mussett, 1968) |
| Species: | Kermackia texana Slaughter, 1971 |
| Place: | Paluxy Formation, Texas |
| Country: | USA |
| Age: | Albian, Lower Cretaceous |
| Remarks: | Possibly a further species. I’m 99% sure this is
Slaughter BH. The genus was based upon a single lower molar,
(Kemp 2005, p.173). |
| Reference?: | Slaughter BH (1971), Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 50, Supplement 1.
|
| Link:
NAMPFD Collection Record
http://flatpebble.nceas.ucsb.edu/nam/listfiles/Butler_Farm.html
A number of type fossils have come from the Butler Farm location; Kermackia texana,
Trinititherium slaughteri, Slaughteria eruptens, Holoclemensia texana
and Pappotherium pattersoni. Holoclemensia Slaughter, 1968b seems to be a
metatherian, though I’ve also seen it referred to Pappotheriidae. |
| Genus: Picopsis Fox RC, 1980
Family: Picopsidae Fox RC, 1980
Eaton 2005 includes the genus as present in the Straight Cliffs Formation of Utah, Santonian.
The abstract is linked to the entry for Potamotelses. |
| Species: | Picopsis pattersoni Fox RC, 1980 |
| Place: | Alberta & Utah |
| Country: | Canada & USA |
| Age: | Campanian, Upper Cretaceous |
| Remarks: |
The holotype is in the Alberta University collection, and was found
in 1977. Further material from Utah is at Oklahoma, (Campanian, Turonian and Albian), which
perhaps is in part a different species. |
| Reference: | Fox (1980), Picopsis pattersoni, n. gen. and sp., an
unusual therian from the Upper Cretaceous of Alberta, and the classification of primitive
tribosphenic mammals. Canadian J. of Earth Sci., 17 (11), 3 figs. p.1489-1498.
|
| Genus: Trinititherium
Butler PM, 1978
Aka: Trinictitherium
Family: Kermackiidae Butler PM, 1978 |
| Species: | Trinititherium slaughteri Butler PM, 1978 |
| Place: | Paluxy Formation, Texas |
| Country: | Canada & USA |
| Age: | Albian, Lower Cretaceous |
| Remarks: | Possibly two species. |
| Reference: | Butler (1978), A new interpretation of the mammalian teeth of
tribosphenic pattern from the Albian of Texas. Breviora 446, p.1-27. |
A. Therians B.
Kermackiidae and Picopsidae C. Waifs and Strays
| Taxon: Somewhere or other within Theria.
The genera in this section might give the impression that they’re basal therians, because of
the way they tend to be listed in cladogrammes. Their apparent ‘basal’ position generally
signifies that they’re hard to place more precisely. As they do crop up on web-pages, I
thought I’d list them anyway. None are Mesozoic.
Genera: Aethomylos,
Anisorhizus, Kasserinotherium,
Plicatodon, Rhinoceros sp. (=Plicatodon),
Russellmys, other reports
Time-Line:
Pleistocene: Plicatodon
Eocene: Aethomylos, Anizorhinus, Kasserinotherium,
Russellmys |
| Genus: Aethomylos Novacek,
1976
Aka: Aethomylus |
| Species: | Aethomylos simplicidens Novacek, 1976 |
| Place: | San Diego County, California & Utah |
| Country: | USA |
| Age: | Uintan, Eocene |
| Remarks: | A second species has apparently been suggested.
I suppose this could be an extraordinarily late basal therian of some kind, but I very much
doubt it. Whatever it was, it weighed about 30g. The Uintan is about 44,5 - 47,5Ma. |
| Reference: | |
| Genus: Anisorhizus
Ameghino, 1902
Perhaps aka: Anizorhinus Ameghino, 1907
Remarks: Then again, the two names might refer to different genera. Seeing as it’s not
relevant to the Mesozoic in any case, I lost interest. |
| Species: | Anisorhizus sp. Ameghino, 1902 |
| Place: | |
| Continent: | South America |
| Age: | Lower Eocene |
| Remarks: | The info on time and place are in McKenna &
Bell, 1997. With thanks to Vince Ward.
The author Ameghino is most probably Florentino. There were two brothers. Carlos worked
chiefly in the field collecting fossils, whilst Florentino concentrated on studying and
describing them, (Spinar & Currie, 2000). |
| Reference: | |
| Genus: Kasserinotherium
Crochet J-Y, 1986 |
| Species: | Kasserinotherium tunisiense Crochet J-Y, 1986 |
| Place: | |
| Country: | Tunisia |
| Age: | Lower Eocene |
| Remarks: |
This was described as a marsupial, as was Garatherium
Crotchet, 1984 from the same location. G. has since been reidentified. I don’t know
what the present thinking on K. is. |
| Reference: | Kasserinotherium tunisiense, nov. gen., nov. sp., troisième
marsupial découvert en Afrique (Éocene inférieure de Tunisie). C. R. Acad. Sci. Sér. II:
Mec. -Phys., Chim., Sci. Terre, Sci. Univ. 302, p.923-926. |
| Genus: Plicatodon Ameghino,
1881
Family: Plicatodontidae Ameghino, 1904 |
| Species: | Plicatodon perrarus (Ameghino, 1881) |
| Place: | Buenos Aires |
| Country: | Argentina |
| Age: | Pleistocene |
| Remarks: |
The Pleistocene ended with the last ice age, about ten thousand years ago. I have no idea
what Plicatodon thinks it’s doing here. It was some kind of small, furry thing.
The citations for both species have been kindly forwarded by Vince Ward. They're taken from
Catalogus Mammalia (Trouessart, 1897). |
| Reference: | |
| Species: | Plicatodon sp. (Pavlow, 1892) |
| Aka: | Rhinoceros sp. |
| Place: | |
| Country: | Mexico |
| Age: | Pleistocene |
| Remarks: | More thanks to Vince Ward. |
| Reference: | |
| Genus: Russellmys
Estravis C, 1990
'Russell's mouse' |
| Species: | Russellmys dinesae Estravis C, 1990 |
| Place: | Silveirinha |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Age: | Lower Eocene |
| Remarks: | Apatemyidae is a family within Insectivora;
shrews, moles, hedgehogs and russellmyses! This is a further intruder. |
| Reference: | |
| Other reports:
I hope not
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx |
| Help:
Should anybody have any further information, I'd be pleased to hear of it.
Regarding references and Bibliography:
I haven't and can't verify all the references, so beware. Traditional papers used in
constructing this page are in the bibliography. If you feel these are too few, then send
some more.
With thanks to all the featured sources.
back to top
Trevor Dykes, December 2001. Last updated: 2.3.2007
Ktdykes@arcor.de |
Bibliography:
Averianov AO & Archibald JD (2003), Mammals from the Upper Cretaceous Aitym
Formation, Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan. Cretaceous Research 00 (2003), p.1-21.
Cifelli RL (2001), Early Mammal Radiations, Journal of Paleontology, vol 75 (6),
p.1214-1226.
Cox B, Dixon D, Gardiner B & Savage RJG (1989): Dinosaurier und andere Tiere der
Vorzeit, Mosaik Verlag (Sonderausgabe für Gondrom Verlag, 1994), ISBN 3 8112 1138 2
Heinrich W-D (1998), Late Jurassic Mammals from Tendaguru, Tanzania, East Africa.
Journal of Mammalian Evolution, Vol5 (4), p.269-290.
Kielan-Jaworowska Z, Bown TM & Lillegraven JA (1979), Eutheria, Chapter
12 of Lillegraven JA, Kielan-Jaworowska Z & Clemens WA (Eds.), Mesozoic Mammals, the
first two-thirds of mammalian history, University of California Press, 311pp.
Kemp TS (2005), The Origin and Evolution of Mammals, Oxford University Press,
pp.331.
Luo Z-X, Kielan-Jaworowska Z & Cifelli RL (2002), In quest for a phylogeny of
Mesozoic mammals. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 47 (1), p.1-78.
McKenna MC & Bell SK (1997), Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level.
Columbia University Press.
Wible JR, Rougier GW, Novacek MJ & McKenna MC (2001), Earliest Eutherian Ear
Region: A Petrosal Referred to Prokennalestes from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia.
American Museum Novitates 3322, p.1-44.
Zhang F (1984), The Fossil Record of Mesozoic Mammals in China. Vertebrata
PalAsiatica, Vol XXII (1), p. 29-38, (as translated by Will Downs, May 1986 with
minor revisions in 1999). This paper was obtained courtesy of the Polyglot
Paleontologist. |
