Eobaatarids Temporal range:
Early Cretaceous
| |
---|---|
Fossil of Sinobaatar | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | † Multituberculata |
Suborder: | † Plagiaulacida |
Family: | †
Eobaataridae Kielan-Jaworowska et al., 1987 |
Genera | |
Eobaataridae is a family of fossil mammals within the order Multituberculata. Remains are known from the Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Asia. They are among the most derived representatives of the informal suborder " Plagiaulacida", and closely related to Cimolodonta. Most eobaatarids are only known from isolated teeth, though several reasonably complete members are known, including Sinobaatar and Jeholbaatar. The body of Sinobaatar is generalised, [3] while Jeholbaatar displays clear adaptations for scansoriality (climbing) due to its elongated digits. [4] Due to the morphology of the cheek teeth, Eobaatar and Jeholbaatar are inferred to be omnivorous, likely feeding on plants and invertebrates. [4]
Indobaatar from the Early Jurassic Kota Formation has been suggested to be the earliest known multituberculate, let alone the earliest eobaatarid, and may stretch the eobaatarid-cimolodontan group much earlier than previously thought. [5] However its referral to the family has been considered questionable by other scholars. [6] [7]
Fossils of Jeholbaatar kielanae seem to show that multituberculates independently acquired a middle ear from other mammal groups. [4]
The name "Eobaatar" (from ancient Greek "ἠώς"= dawn and Mongolian "baatar"= hero) means "dawn hero".
Eobaatarids Temporal range:
Early Cretaceous
| |
---|---|
Fossil of Sinobaatar | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | † Multituberculata |
Suborder: | † Plagiaulacida |
Family: | †
Eobaataridae Kielan-Jaworowska et al., 1987 |
Genera | |
Eobaataridae is a family of fossil mammals within the order Multituberculata. Remains are known from the Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Asia. They are among the most derived representatives of the informal suborder " Plagiaulacida", and closely related to Cimolodonta. Most eobaatarids are only known from isolated teeth, though several reasonably complete members are known, including Sinobaatar and Jeholbaatar. The body of Sinobaatar is generalised, [3] while Jeholbaatar displays clear adaptations for scansoriality (climbing) due to its elongated digits. [4] Due to the morphology of the cheek teeth, Eobaatar and Jeholbaatar are inferred to be omnivorous, likely feeding on plants and invertebrates. [4]
Indobaatar from the Early Jurassic Kota Formation has been suggested to be the earliest known multituberculate, let alone the earliest eobaatarid, and may stretch the eobaatarid-cimolodontan group much earlier than previously thought. [5] However its referral to the family has been considered questionable by other scholars. [6] [7]
Fossils of Jeholbaatar kielanae seem to show that multituberculates independently acquired a middle ear from other mammal groups. [4]
The name "Eobaatar" (from ancient Greek "ἠώς"= dawn and Mongolian "baatar"= hero) means "dawn hero".