Lambdopsalis

Last updated

Lambdopsalis
Temporal range: Thanetian
~59–55  Ma
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Lambdopsalis bulla ventral view.jpg
Lambdopsalis bulla - skull
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Multituberculata
Family: Lambdopsalidae
Genus: Lambdopsalis
Species:
L. bulla
Binomial name
Lambdopsalis bulla
Chow & Qi, 1978

Lambdopsalis is an extinct multituberculate mammal from the Late Paleocene of China and Mongolia. It is placed within the suborder Cimolodonta and is a member of the superfamily Taeniolabidoidea. Fossil remains have been found in the Late Paleocene Nomogen and Khashat Formations in Nao-mugen and Bayn Ulan of China and Mongolia, dated to 59-55 million years ago from the Thanetian age. [1] Lambdopsalis bulla is the type species of this genus. The genus and species were named by Chow and Tao Qi in 1978. [2]

Hair and fur fossilize very infrequently, if at all. This genus of multituberculate mammals provides one of the earliest unequivocal examples of mammal fur (Lower Cretaceous fossils of Eomaia, Volaticotherium and Castorocauda with the fur preserved still attached are currently the oldest). Indirect evidence suggest that hair first appeared on non-mammalian therapsids (Therapsida), back in the Triassic or even earlier. This is inferred from small hollows on the bone of the snout similar to holes in the skulls of cats which provide space for concentrations of nerves and blood vessels that innervate prominent whiskers (specialized hairs). This adaptation allows cats to use their whiskers as effective tactile sensory organs.[ citation needed ]

In the same Upper Paleocene strata, exceptionally preserved coprolites, originally excreted by unknown carnivorous animals, were discovered to contain undigested remains, including hair from Lambdopsalis and three other different mammal taxa. [3] [4]

Studies on its tooth prism and enamel patterns have been performed. It had deciduous enamel, and there is evidence that adults and juveniles had substantially different diets. [5] Cervical vertebrae C2-C3 or C2-C3-C4 appear to be typically fused in individuals of this genus. [6] Based on its robust humerus bones, its flat skull, its fused and stiff neck bones, and thick enamel on its lower incisors, [7] it is believed that this genus was either partially or fully adapted to a burrowing (fossorial) lifestyle. Kielan-Jaworowska and Qi suggest similar locomotive behavior to the modern Golden mole. [8] Fully grown L.bulla individuals were estimated to have had a body mass of 0.78 kilograms (1.7 lb) and skull length of about 60.8 millimetres (2.39 in). [9]

Notes

  1. Wilson et al 2012, Supplemental Tables 3 and 5
  2. Chow and Qi, 1978
  3. Meng and Wyss, 1997
  4. Novacek, 1997
  5. Mao et al, 2015
  6. Kielan-Jaworowska and Qi, 1990, pp 84-86
  7. Mao et al, 2015, pg 32
  8. Kielan-Jaworowska and Qi, 1990, pp 91-92
  9. Wilson et al 2012, Supplemental Table 5

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cimolodonta</span> Extinct suborder of mammals

Cimolodonta is a clade of multituberculate mammals that lived from the Cretaceous to the Eocene. They probably lived something of a rodent-like existence until their ecological niche was assumed by true rodents. The more basal multituberculates are found in a different suborder, "Plagiaulacida", a paraphyletic group containing all non cimolodontan multituberculates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Djadochtatherioidea</span> Extinct superfamily of mammals

Djadochtatherioidea is a superfamily of extinct mammals known from the upper Cretaceous and Paleocene of what is now Central Asia, North America and Europe. They were members of the order Multituberculata. These were very ecologically diverse; several were jerboa-like hoppers, while others like Mangasbaatar were large sized and fossorial. Unusually for multituberculates, some of this group are represented by very good remains. All upper Cretaceous Mongolian multituberculates are included with one exception, the genus Buginbaatar.

<i>Catopsbaatar</i> Extinct species of mammal

Catopsbaatar is a genus of multituberculate, an extinct order of rodent-like mammals. It lived in what is now Mongolia during the late Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous epoch, about 72 million years ago. The first fossils were collected in the early 1970s, and the animal was named as a new species of the genus Djadochtatherium in 1974, D. catopsaloides. The specific name refers to the animal's similarity to the genus Catopsalis. The species was moved to the genus Catopsalis in 1979, and received its own genus in 1994. Five skulls, one molar, and one skeleton with a skull are known; the last is the genus' most complete specimen. Catopsbaatar was a member of the family Djadochtatheriidae.

<i>Kryptobaatar</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Kryptobaatar, also known as Gobibaatar or Tugrigbaatar, is an extinct mammalian genus dating from the Upper Cretaceous Period and identified in Central Asia. This animal was a member of the extinct order of Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta, and was a member of the family Djadochtatheriidae. It lived contemporaneously with some of the dinosaurs. Its skull had a length of perhaps 3 cm.

<i>Tombaatar</i> Genus of mammals

Tombaatar is a mammal genus that existed during the Mongolian Upper Cretaceous period. It co-existed with some of the late dinosaurs. This animal was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata, within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Djadochtatheriidae. The genus Tombaatar was named by Rougier G.W., Novacek M. and Dashzeveg D. in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taeniolabidoidea</span> Extinct superfamily of mammals

Taeniolabidoidea is a group of extinct mammals known whose fossils can be found in North America and Asia. They were the largest members of the extinct order Multituberculata, as well as the largest non-therian mammals. Lambdopsalis even provides direct fossil evidence of mammalian fur in a fairly good state of preservation for a 60-million-year-old animal. Some of these animals were large for their time; Taeniolabis taoensis is the largest known multituberculate and though smaller, Yubaatar is the largest known Mesozoic Asian multituberculate. T. taoensis averaged a body mass of 22.7 kilograms (50 lb).

<i>Catopsalis</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Catopsalis is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of North America. This animal was a relatively large member of the extinct order of Multituberculata. Most Multituberculates were much smaller.

Prionessus is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of what is now Central Asia. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and superfamily Taeniolabidoidea. The genus was named by William Diller Matthew and Walter Granger in 1925, and is based on a single species P.lucifer.

Sphenopsalis is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of what is now Central Asia. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata, and lies within the suborder Cimolodonta and the superfamily Taeniolabidoidea. The genus was named by William Diller Matthew, W. Granger and George Gaylord Simpson in 1928.

<i>Taeniolabis</i> Extinct genus of rodent-like mammals from the Paleocene epoch

Taeniolabis is a genus of extinct multituberculate mammal from the Paleocene of North America.

Xyronomys is an extinct genus of small mammals from the Paleocene of North America, with two described species. The genus lies within the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Neoplagiaulacidae.

Eucosmodontidae is a poorly preserved family of fossil mammals within the extinct order Multituberculata. Representatives are known from strata dating from the Upper Cretaceous through the Lower Eocene of North America, as well as the Paleocene to Eocene of Europe. The family is part of the suborder of Cimolodonta. They might be related with the Djadochtatherioidea but without further finds, this remains unclear. Other than a partial snout, fossil evidence is limited to teeth. A 2021 study vindicates this relationship.

Microcosmodontidae is a poorly preserved family of fossil mammals within the extinct order Multituberculata. Representatives are known from the Lower Paleocene of North America. The family is part of the suborder Cimolodonta. Other than that, their systematic relationships are hard to define.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kogaionidae</span> Extinct family of mammals

Kogaionidae is a family of fossil mammals within the extinct order Multituberculata. Representatives are known from the Upper Cretaceous and the Paleocene of Europe. Having started as island endemics on Hateg Island during the Upper Cretaceous, where they were in fact the dominant mammal group and diverged into rather unique ecological niches, they expanded across Europe in the Paleocene, where they briefly became a major component of its mammal fauna before their extinction. They are considered to be basal members of Cimolodonta.

Hainina is an extinct mammal genus from the latest Cretaceous to the Paleocene of Europe.

Ferugliotherium is a genus of fossil mammals in the family Ferugliotheriidae from the Campanian and/or Maastrichtian period of Argentina. It contains a single species, Ferugliotherium windhauseni, which was first described in 1986. Although originally interpreted on the basis of a single brachydont (low-crowned) molar as a member of Multituberculata, an extinct group of small, rodent-like mammals, it was recognized as related to the hypsodont (high-crowned) Sudamericidae following the discovery of additional material in the early 1990s. After a jaw of the sudamericid Sudamerica was described in 1999, these animals were no longer considered to be multituberculates and a few fossils that were previously considered to be Ferugliotherium were assigned to unspecified multituberculates instead. Since 2005, a relationship between gondwanatheres and multituberculates has again received support. A closely related animal, Trapalcotherium, was described in 2009 on the basis of a single tooth.

<i>Andrewsarchus</i> Extinct genus of carnivorous ungulate from Eocene epoch

Andrewsarchus is an extinct genus of ungulate that lived during the Middle Eocene in China. It contains two species, A. mongoliensis and A. crassum. It was formerly placed in the families Mesonychidae or Arctocyonidae, but is now the sole member of a distinct family, Andrewsarchidae. Only known from a largely complete skull as well as isolated teeth, It is notable for being estimated as the largest terrestrial, carnivorous mammal, but that status has been disputed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eutriconodonta</span> Extinct order of mammals

Eutriconodonta is an order of early mammals. Eutriconodonts existed in Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America during the Jurassic and the Cretaceous periods. The order was named by Kermack et al. in 1973 as a replacement name for the paraphyletic Triconodonta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coryphodontidae</span> Extinct family of mammals

Coryphodontidae is an extinct family of pantodont mammals known from the Late Paleocene to the Middle Eocene of Eurasia and North America.

Lambdopsalidae is a family of extinct multituberculate mammals from the Late Paleocene of Asia. They are part of Taeniolabidoidea, a clade otherwise present in the Early Paleocene of North America. The Lambdopsalids probably evolved from a single radiation that spread into Asia from North America in the mid-Paleocene or earlier. They are represented by the genera Lambdopsalis, Sphenopsalis and Prionessus. This group was first defined in 1978 by Chow and Tao Qi.

References