Alphadon: Difference between revisions
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Couldn't find a single source for the name meaning "First tooth", and while it's possible that that's what it meant, it's not clear |
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{{Short description|Extinct |
{{Short description|Extinct genus of mammals}} |
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{{more citations needed|date = December 2016}} |
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{{automatic taxobox |
{{automatic taxobox |
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| fossil_range = [[Late Cretaceous]], {{Fossil range|100.5|66 |
| fossil_range = [[Late Cretaceous]], {{Fossil range|100.5|66}}<ref>J. G. Eaton. 1993. Therian mammals from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) Dakota Formation, southwestern Utah. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 13(1):105-124</ref> |
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| image = Alphadon sp. - MUSE.jpg |
| image = Alphadon sp. - MUSE.jpg |
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| image_caption = Reconstruction of ''Alphadon'' sp. |
| image_caption = Reconstruction of ''Alphadon'' sp. |
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| taxon = Alphadon |
| taxon = Alphadon |
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| authority = [[George Gaylord Simpson|Simpson]], 1927 |
| authority = [[George Gaylord Simpson|Simpson]], 1927 |
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| subdivision_ranks = |
| subdivision_ranks = Species |
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| subdivision_ref = <ref name="Mikkos">{{Cite web |
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| last = Haaramo | first = Mikko |
| last = Haaramo | first = Mikko |
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| title = Alphadontidae |
| title = Alphadontidae |
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'''''Alphadon''''' |
'''''Alphadon''''' is an extinct genus of small, primitive [[mammal]] that was a member of the [[metatheria]]ns, a group of mammals that includes modern-day [[marsupials]]. Its fossils were first discovered and named by [[George Gaylord Simpson]] in 1929.<ref name="Mikkos"/> |
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==Description== |
==Description== |
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Not much is known about the appearance of ''Alphadon'', as it is only known from teeth, a lower jaw and skull fragments. It probably grew to about {{Convert|12|in|cm|abbr=on}} and may have resembled a modern [[opossum]].<ref name="jehle">{{Cite web | last = Jehle | first = Martin | title = Marsupials: A southern success story | publisher = Paleocene mammals of the world |date=August 2005 | url = http://www.paleocene-mammals.de/marsupials.htm}}</ref> Judging from its teeth, it was likely an [[omnivore]], feeding on fruits, invertebrates and possibly small vertebrates. ''Alphadon'' had a very good sense of smell and sight to track down its food, both during the day and night. Its possible whiskers could have also aided in its |
Not much is known about the appearance of ''Alphadon'', as it is only known from teeth, a lower jaw and skull fragments. It probably grew to about {{Convert|12|in|cm|abbr=on}} and may have resembled a modern [[opossum]].<ref name="jehle">{{Cite web | last = Jehle | first = Martin | title = Marsupials: A southern success story | publisher = Paleocene mammals of the world |date=August 2005 | url = http://www.paleocene-mammals.de/marsupials.htm}}</ref> Judging from its teeth, it was likely an [[omnivore]], feeding on fruits, invertebrates and possibly small vertebrates. ''Alphadon'' had a very good sense of smell and sight to track down its food, both during the day and night. Its possible whiskers could have also aided in its search for food.<ref>{{cite journal |title=''Alphadon halleyi'' (Didelphidae, Marsupialia) from the Two Medicine Formation (Late Cretaceous, Judithian) of Montana |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |year=1988 |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=378–382 |first=Marisol |last=Montellano|doi=10.1080/02724634.1988.10011726 }}</ref><ref name="jehle"/> |
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==Taxonomy and classification== |
==Taxonomy and classification== |
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The |
The type species is ''Alphadon marshi''. Eight other species are known.<ref name="Mikkos"/> |
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The species ''Alphadon jasoni'' was originally described by Storer (1991);<ref>Storer, J.E. (1991). The mammals of the Gryde local fauna, Frenchman Formation ([[Maastrichtian]]: [[Lancian]]), Saskatchewan. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 11, no. 3, p. 350-396.</ref> it was subsequently transferred to the [[Herpetotheriidae|herpetotheriid]] genus ''[[Nortedelphys]]''.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Thomas E. Williamson |author2=Stephen L. Brusatte |author3=Thomas D. Carr |author4=Anne Weil |author5=Barbara R. Standhardt |title=The phylogeny and evolution of Cretaceous–Palaeogene metatherians: cladistic analysis and description of new early Palaeocene specimens from the Nacimiento Formation, New Mexico |journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=625–651 |year=2012 |doi=10.1080/14772019.2011.631592 }}</ref> |
The species ''Alphadon jasoni'' was originally described by Storer (1991);<ref>Storer, J.E. (1991). The mammals of the Gryde local fauna, Frenchman Formation ([[Maastrichtian]]: [[Lancian]]), Saskatchewan. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 11, no. 3, p. 350-396.</ref> it was subsequently transferred to the [[Herpetotheriidae|herpetotheriid]] genus ''[[Nortedelphys]]''.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Thomas E. Williamson |author2=Stephen L. Brusatte |author3=Thomas D. Carr |author4=Anne Weil |author5=Barbara R. Standhardt |title=The phylogeny and evolution of Cretaceous–Palaeogene metatherians: cladistic analysis and description of new early Palaeocene specimens from the Nacimiento Formation, New Mexico |journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=625–651 |year=2012 |doi=10.1080/14772019.2011.631592 }}</ref> |
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Latest revision as of 02:34, 31 March 2024
Alphadon Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, [1]
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Reconstruction of Alphadon sp. | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Family: | †Alphadontidae |
Genus: | †Alphadon Simpson, 1927 |
Species[2] | |
Alphadon is an extinct genus of small, primitive mammal that was a member of the metatherians, a group of mammals that includes modern-day marsupials. Its fossils were first discovered and named by George Gaylord Simpson in 1929.[2]
Description[edit]
Not much is known about the appearance of Alphadon, as it is only known from teeth, a lower jaw and skull fragments. It probably grew to about 12 in (30 cm) and may have resembled a modern opossum.[3] Judging from its teeth, it was likely an omnivore, feeding on fruits, invertebrates and possibly small vertebrates. Alphadon had a very good sense of smell and sight to track down its food, both during the day and night. Its possible whiskers could have also aided in its search for food.[4][3]
Taxonomy and classification[edit]
The type species is Alphadon marshi. Eight other species are known.[2] The species Alphadon jasoni was originally described by Storer (1991);[5] it was subsequently transferred to the herpetotheriid genus Nortedelphys.[6]
Recent phylogenetic studies group it with other northern non-marsupial metatherians such as Albertatherium and Turgidodon.[7][8] A 2016 phylogenetic analysis is shown below.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ J. G. Eaton. 1993. Therian mammals from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) Dakota Formation, southwestern Utah. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 13(1):105-124
- ^ a b c Haaramo, Mikko (August 2003). "Alphadontidae". Mikko's Phylogeny Archive.
- ^ a b Jehle, Martin (August 2005). "Marsupials: A southern success story". Paleocene mammals of the world.
- ^ Montellano, Marisol (1988). "Alphadon halleyi (Didelphidae, Marsupialia) from the Two Medicine Formation (Late Cretaceous, Judithian) of Montana". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 8 (4): 378–382. doi:10.1080/02724634.1988.10011726.
- ^ Storer, J.E. (1991). The mammals of the Gryde local fauna, Frenchman Formation (Maastrichtian: Lancian), Saskatchewan. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 11, no. 3, p. 350-396.
- ^ Thomas E. Williamson; Stephen L. Brusatte; Thomas D. Carr; Anne Weil; Barbara R. Standhardt (2012). "The phylogeny and evolution of Cretaceous–Palaeogene metatherians: cladistic analysis and description of new early Palaeocene specimens from the Nacimiento Formation, New Mexico". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 10 (4): 625–651. doi:10.1080/14772019.2011.631592.
- ^ Guillermo W. Rougier; Brian M. Davis; Michael J. Novacek (2015). "A deltatheroidan mammal from the Upper Cretaceous Baynshiree Formation, eastern Mongolia". Cretaceous Research. 52, Part A: 167–177. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2014.09.009.
- ^ S. Bi, X. Jin, S. Li and T. Du. 2015. A new Cretaceous metatherian mammal from Henan, China. PeerJ 3:e896
- ^ Wilson, G.P.; Ekdale, E.G.; Hoganson, J.W.; Calede, J.J.; Linden, A.V. (2016). "A large carnivorous mammal from the Late Cretaceous and the North American origin of marsupials". Nature Communications. 7: 13734. doi:10.1038/ncomms13734. PMC 5155139. PMID 27929063.