Mesodma

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Mesodma
Temporal range: 83.6–56  Ma
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Possible Cenomanian record
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Multituberculata
Family: Neoplagiaulacidae
Genus: Mesodma
Species
  • M. ambigua
  • M. formosa
  • M. hensleighi
  • M. pygmaea
  • M. senecta
  • M. thompsoni

Mesodma is an extinct genus of mammal, a member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta, family Neoplagiaulacidae. It lived during the upper Cretaceous and Paleocene Periods of what is now North America. The earliest definitive record is from the late Santonian stage strata of the Straight Cliffs Formation. [1] A single premolar tooth from the lower Cenomanian stage strata of the Cedar Mountain Formation has been tentatively assigned to this genus based on its similarity, but its describers noted that it is unlikely that Mesodma lived during that time. [2]

Contents

Species

The species "Mesodma" primaeva from the Judithian of Western Interior of North America was formerly assigned to the genus Mesodma, but subsequently it was made the type species of a separate genus Filikomys . [4]

Related Research Articles

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

Multituberculata is an extinct order of rodent-like mammals with a fossil record spanning over 130 million years. They first appeared in the Middle Jurassic, and reached a peak diversity during the Late Cretaceous and Paleocene. They eventually declined from the mid Paleocene onwards, disappearing from the known fossil record in the late Eocene. They are the most diverse order of Mesozoic mammals with more than 200 species known, ranging from mouse-sized to beaver-sized. These species occupied a diversity of ecological niches, ranging from burrow-dwelling to squirrel-like arborealism to jerboa-like hoppers. Multituberculates are usually placed as crown mammals outside either of the two main groups of living mammals—Theria, including placentals and marsupials, and Monotremata—but usually as closer to Theria than to monotremes. They are considered to be closely related to Euharamiyida and Gondwanatheria as part of Allotheria.

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

Ptilodus is a genus of mammals from the extinct order of Multituberculata, and lived during the Paleocene in North America.

<i>Meniscoessus</i> Extinct family of mammals

Meniscoessus is a genus of extinct mammal from the Upper Cretaceous Period of what is now North America. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata, lying within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Cimolomyidae.

Paracimexomys is a genus of extinct mammals in the also extinct Multituberculata order. Paracimexomys lived during the Cretaceous period. The few fossils remains come from North America. Some Romanian fossils were also tentatively assigned to this genus, though that classification now seems doubtful.

<i>Cimexomys</i> Extinct genus of North American mammal

Cimexomys is an extinct North American mammal that lived from the Upper Cretaceous to the Paleocene. For a while, it shared the world with dinosaurs, but outlived them. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata and lies within the suborder Cimolodonta. It is perhaps a member of the Paracimexomys group, though it is not certain.

<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.

<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.

Neoplagiaulax is a mammal genus from the Paleocene of Europe and North America. In the case of the latter continent, there may possibly be some slightly earlier, Upper Cretaceous material too. It existed in the age immediately following the extinction of the last dinosaurs. This animal was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata, lying within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Neoplagiaulacidae.

Mimetodon is a small mammal from the Paleocene of North America and perhaps Europe. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Neoplagiaulacidae.

Parectypodus is an extinct genus of mammals that lived from Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) to Eocene time in North America. It is a member of the extinct order of Multituberculata, suborder Cimolodonta, family Neoplagiaulacidae. It was named by G.L. Jepsen in 1930.

Kimbetohia is a genus of mammal belonging to the extinct order Multituberculata. It lived from the Upper Cretaceous to the Paleocene in the United States.

Cimolodon is a genus of the extinct mammal order of Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and the family Cimolodontidae. Specimens are known from the Late Cretaceous of North America.

Anconodon is an extinct genus of mammal from the Paleocene of North America, and thus lived just after the "age of the dinosaurs". It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and possibly the family Cimolodontidae.

Eucosmodon is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of North America. It is a member of the extinct order of Multituberculata within the suborder of Cimolodonta, and the family Eucosmodontidae. This genus has partly also been known as Neoplagiaulax. All known fossils of this small mammal are restricted to teeth.

Clemensodon is a genus of extinct mammal from the Upper Cretaceous of North America. It lived during the end of the Mesozoic, also known as the "age of the dinosaurs". It was a member of the extinct order of Multituberculata within the suborder of Cimolodonta and family Eucosmodontidae. Fossil remains are restricted to teeth.

Stygimys is an extinct mammal genus from the Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene of North America. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta, family Eucosmodontidae.

Microcosmodon is a mammal genus from the Paleocene of North America. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata, and lies within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Microcosmodontidae. The genus Microcosmodon was named by G.L. Jepsen in 1930.

Acheronodon is a genus of herbivorous arboreal mammal which belongs to the family Microcosmodontidae and which was endemic to North America during the Early Paleocene subepoch and in existence for approximately 9.2 million years.

<i>Cimolomys</i> Extinct family of mammals

Cimolomys is a mammal genus from the Upper Cretaceous of North America. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Cimolomyidae.

Viridomys is a genus of extinct mammal from the Upper Cretaceous of North America. It was a member of the extinct order of Multituberculata, and lived during the Mesozoic, also known as the "age of the dinosaurs." It's within the suborder of Cimolodonta, though its further affinities are unclear.

References

  1. Eaton, Jeffrey G. (12 June 2006). "Santonian (late Cretaceous) mammals from the John Henry Member of the Straight Cliffs Formation, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 26 (2): 446–460. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2006)26[446:SLCMFT]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   130526200.
  2. Eaton, Jeffrey G.; Cifelli, Richard L. (2001). "Multituberculate mammals from near the Early-Late Cretaceous boundary, Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 46 (4): 453–518. S2CID   129909933.
  3. Smith, Stephanie M.; Wilson, Gregory P. (2016). "Species Discrimination of Co-Occurring Small Fossil Mammals: A Case Study of the Cretaceous-Paleogene Multituberculate Genus Mesodma". Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 24 (2): 147–157. doi:10.1007/s10914-016-9332-2. S2CID   254703663.
  4. Weaver, Lucas N.; Varricchio, David J.; Sargis, Eric J.; Chen, Meng; Freimuth, William J.; Wilson Mantilla, Gregory P. (2020). "Early mammalian social behaviour revealed by multituberculates from a dinosaur nesting site". Nature Ecology & Evolution. 5 (1): 32–37. doi:10.1038/s41559-020-01325-8. PMID   33139921. S2CID   226241443.

Further reading