Valenopsalis

Last updated

Valenopsalis joyneri
Temporal range: - Middle Puercan, 65  Ma
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Superfamily:
Genus:
Valenopsalis
Species:
V. joyneri

Williamson, 2015 [1]

Valenopsalis is an extinct mammal from the Paleocene of North America (more specifically, Puercan-aged deposits in Wyoming, Montana and Saskatchewan. Originally referred to the genus Catopsalis (C. joyneri), it has more recently been moved to its own genus as the former was understood to be a wastebasket taxon. It is currently considered to be the most basal representative of Taeniolabidoidea.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

Multituberculata Extinct order of mammals

Multituberculata is an extinct taxon of rodent-like allotherian mammals that existed for approximately 166 million years, the longest fossil history of any mammal lineage. They eventually declined from the late Paleocene onwards, disappearing from the known fossil record in the late Eocene, though gondwanatheres lived into the Miocene, and may have been multituberculates. More than 200 species are 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 closer to Theria than to monotremes. Nonetheless, at least one study found a potential status as sister taxa to monotremes/Australosphenida.

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.

Sphenopsalis is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of 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.

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.

Cernaysia is an extinct genus of mammal from the Paleocene of France and the United States. It existed in the age immediately following the extinction of the last dinosaurs. This animal was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Neoplagiaulacidae.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Barbatodon is a mammal genus from the Upper Cretaceous period. It lived in Transylvania at the same time as some of the last dinosaurs and was a member of the extinct order of Multituberculata. It is within the suborder of Cimolodonta, and the family Kogaionidae. The genus Barbatodon was named by Rãdulescu R. and Samson P. in 1986.

Eoconodon

Eoconodon is an extinct genus of triisodontid mesonychid that existed during the early Paleocene of North America. Characteristics of the genus include massive jaws, blunt builds, and strong canine teeth.

Chacomylus is an extinct genus of odd-toed ungulate condylarth which existed in the Nacimiento Formation, United States during the early Paleocene period. It was first named by Thomas E. Williamson and Anne Weil in 2011 and the type species is Chacomylus sladei.

Chacopterygus is an extinct genus of cimolestid mammal which existed in New Mexico, during the early Paleocene. Its fossils have been recovered from the Nacimiento Formation, San Juan Basin, New Mexico. It was first named by Thomas E. Williamson, Anne Weil and Barbara Standhardt in 2011 and the type species is Chacopterygus minutus.

Betonnia is an extinct genus of cimolestid mammal which existed in New Mexico, during the early Paleocene. Its fossils have been recovered from the Nacimiento Formation, San Juan Basin, New Mexico. It was first named by Thomas E. Williamson, Anne Weil and Barbara Standhardt in 2011 and the type species is Betonnia tsosia.

Taeniolabididae Extinct family of mammals

Taeniolabididae is one of the two multituberculate clades within Taeniolabidoidea. Originally basically synonymous with Taeniolabidoidea, it has more recently been found to be a specific clade including Kimbetopsalis, Taeniolabis and some former members of the Catopsalis wastebasket taxon, as opposed to Lambdopsalidae, which includes most other genera outside of Valenopsalis and possibly Bubodens, both of which more basal taxa.

Kimbetopsalis simmonsae was an ancient mammal which was first discovered in 2015.

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; lambdopsalids, therefore, probably evolved from a single radiation that spread into Asia from North America in the mid-Paleocene or earlier. They are represented by the genus Lambdopsalis, Sphenopsalis and Prionessus.

References

  1. Willamson, T.E.; Brusatte, S.L.; Secord, R.; Shelley, S (2015), "A new taeniolabidoid multituberculate (Mammalia) from the middle Puercan of the Nacimiento Formation, New Mexico, and a revision of taeniolabidoid systematics and phylogeny", Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 177: 183–208, doi: 10.1111/zoj.12336