Nanocuris

Nanocuris Temporal range: Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) 72.1–70.6  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	† Deltatheroida
Family:	† Deltatheridiidae
Genus:	† Nanocuris Fox, Scott & Bryant, 2007
Species:	†N. improvida
Binomial name
†Nanocuris improvida Fox, Scott & Bryant, 2007

Nanocuris is an extinct genus of Deltatheridiidae from the Cretaceous of Canada (Saskatchewan) and United States (Wyoming - Lance Formation and Hell Creek Formation ^[1] ). ^[2] Initially, it was classified in a proper family, Nanocuridae, in the clade Eutheria, ^[2] but a reanalysis of a new specimen revealed a delthatheroid affinity of the genus. ^[3]

Size

It was the largest deltatheroidean. ^{[4] [5]} Alongside with the similarly sized Altacreodus , it likely replaced earlier Cretaceous eutriconodonts as a large sized predatory mammal. ^[6]

Classification

Its closest relative is the smallest deltatheroidean, Gurbanodelta . ^[7]

References

1. G. P. Wilson and J. A. Riedel. 2010. New specimen reveals deltatheroidan affinities of the North American Late Cretaceous mammal Nanocuris. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30(3):872-884
2. R. C. Fox, C. S. Scott, and H. N. Bryant. 2007. A new, unusual therian mammal from the Upper Cretaceous of Saskatchewan, Canada. Cretaceous Research 28(5):821-829.
3. G. P. Wilson and J. A. Riedel. 2010. New specimen reveals deltatheroidan affinities of the North American Late Cretaceous mammal Nanocuris. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30(3):872-884
4. G. W. Rougier, B. M. Davis, and M. J. Novacek. 2015. A deltatheroidan mammal from the Upper Cretaceous Baynshiree Formation, eastern Mongolia. Cretaceous Research 52:167-177
5. G. P. Wilson and J. A. Riedel. 2010. New specimen reveals deltatheroidan affinities of the North American Late Cretaceous mammal Nanocuris. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30(3):872-884
6. G. W. Rougier, B. M. Davis, and M. J. Novacek. 2015. A deltatheroidan mammal from the Upper Cretaceous Baynshiree Formation, eastern Mongolia. Cretaceous Research 52:167-177
7. Ni, Xijun; Li, Qiang; Stidham, Thomas A.; Li, Lüzhou; Lu, Xiaoyu; Meng, Jin (2016). "A late Paleocene probable metatherian (?deltatheroidan) survivor of the Cretaceous mass extinction". Science Reports. 6. Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 38547. Bibcode:2016NatSR...638547N. doi:10.1038/srep38547. PMC 5141426. PMID 27924847.