| Zalambdalestes Temporal range:
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|---|---|
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| Zalambdalestes lechei skull and lower jaw, Museum of Evolution Warsaw. | |
Scientific classification
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | incertae sedis |
| Family: | † Zalambdalestidae |
| Genus: | †
Zalambdalestes Gregory & Simpson, 1926 |
| Species | |
| |
Zalambdalestes (meaning much-like-lambda robber) is an extinct genus of eutherian mammal known from the Upper Cretaceous in Mongolia.
Description
Zalambdalestes was a hopping animal with a long snout, long teeth, a small brain and large eyes. It was about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long, with a head only 5 centimetres (2 in) long. It had strong front paws and even stronger rear ones, sharing specializations to saltation similar to those of modern rabbits. [1] [2] It was most likely not a placental due to the presence of an epipubic bone, [3] [1] It had an unique axis that allowing for rapid movements, and in real life it might have had spines or britsly fur. [4]
Biology
Its diet was probably composed mainly of insects that it hunted in the forest undergrowth using its sharp, interlocking teeth. [5] A well-preserved series of cervical vertebrae, including the axis, but not the atlas, seem to suggest vermivory. [4] Unlike modern placental mammals, Zalambdalestes had an epipubic bone, meaning it was probably restricted reproductively in the same way as modern monotremes and marsupials, [1] though a study on multituberculate reproduction suggests early eutherians could give birth to well developed young. [6] Its unique axis allowed for rapid movements to catch prey. [4]
References
- Parker, Steve. Dinosaurs: the complete guide to dinosaurs. Firefly Books Inc, 2003. Pg. 402
- ^ a b c Rose, Kenneth D.; Archibald, J. David, eds. (2005). The Rise of Placental Mammals: Origins and Relationships of the Major Extant Clades. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9780801880223.
- ^ Chen, Meng; Wilson, Gregory P. (2015). "A multivariate approach to infer locomotor modes in Mesozoic mammals". Paleobiology. 41 (2): 280–312. Bibcode: 2015Pbio...41..280C. doi: 10.1017/pab.2014.14. S2CID 86087687.
- ^ Dykes, Kevin T. "Mesozoic Mammals; Zalambdalestidae, Lipotyphla?, Cimolestidae and Cretaceous Taeniodonta". Mesozoic Eucynodonts. Archived from the original on March 4, 2006.
- ^ a b c Arnold, Patrick; Janiszewska, Katarzyna; Li, Qian; O'Connor, Jingmai K.; Fostowicz-Frelik, Łucja (April 16, 2024). "The Late Cretaceous eutherian Zalambdalestes reveals unique axis and complex evolution of the mammalian neck". Science Bulletin. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2024.04.027.
- ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 201. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
- ^ Urton, James (July 25, 2022). "New study challenges old views on what's 'primitive' in mammalian reproduction". UW News. University of Washington. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
Further reading
- Wible, John R.; Novacek, Michael J.; Rougier, Guillermo W. (2004). "New data on the skull and dentition in the Mongolian Late Cretaceous eutherian mammal Zalambdalestes" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 281: 1–144. doi: 10.1206/0003-0090(2004)281<0001:NDOTSA>2.0.CO;2. hdl: 2246/449. S2CID 83491778.
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 | This article about a Cretaceous mammal is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| Zalambdalestes Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Zalambdalestes lechei skull and lower jaw, Museum of Evolution Warsaw. | |
|
Scientific classification
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | incertae sedis |
| Family: | † Zalambdalestidae |
| Genus: | †
Zalambdalestes Gregory & Simpson, 1926 |
| Species | |
| |
Zalambdalestes (meaning much-like-lambda robber) is an extinct genus of eutherian mammal known from the Upper Cretaceous in Mongolia.
Description
Zalambdalestes was a hopping animal with a long snout, long teeth, a small brain and large eyes. It was about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long, with a head only 5 centimetres (2 in) long. It had strong front paws and even stronger rear ones, sharing specializations to saltation similar to those of modern rabbits. [1] [2] It was most likely not a placental due to the presence of an epipubic bone, [3] [1] It had an unique axis that allowing for rapid movements, and in real life it might have had spines or britsly fur. [4]
Biology
Its diet was probably composed mainly of insects that it hunted in the forest undergrowth using its sharp, interlocking teeth. [5] A well-preserved series of cervical vertebrae, including the axis, but not the atlas, seem to suggest vermivory. [4] Unlike modern placental mammals, Zalambdalestes had an epipubic bone, meaning it was probably restricted reproductively in the same way as modern monotremes and marsupials, [1] though a study on multituberculate reproduction suggests early eutherians could give birth to well developed young. [6] Its unique axis allowed for rapid movements to catch prey. [4]
References
- Parker, Steve. Dinosaurs: the complete guide to dinosaurs. Firefly Books Inc, 2003. Pg. 402
- ^ a b c Rose, Kenneth D.; Archibald, J. David, eds. (2005). The Rise of Placental Mammals: Origins and Relationships of the Major Extant Clades. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9780801880223.
- ^ Chen, Meng; Wilson, Gregory P. (2015). "A multivariate approach to infer locomotor modes in Mesozoic mammals". Paleobiology. 41 (2): 280–312. Bibcode: 2015Pbio...41..280C. doi: 10.1017/pab.2014.14. S2CID 86087687.
- ^ Dykes, Kevin T. "Mesozoic Mammals; Zalambdalestidae, Lipotyphla?, Cimolestidae and Cretaceous Taeniodonta". Mesozoic Eucynodonts. Archived from the original on March 4, 2006.
- ^ a b c Arnold, Patrick; Janiszewska, Katarzyna; Li, Qian; O'Connor, Jingmai K.; Fostowicz-Frelik, Łucja (April 16, 2024). "The Late Cretaceous eutherian Zalambdalestes reveals unique axis and complex evolution of the mammalian neck". Science Bulletin. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2024.04.027.
- ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 201. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
- ^ Urton, James (July 25, 2022). "New study challenges old views on what's 'primitive' in mammalian reproduction". UW News. University of Washington. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
Further reading
- Wible, John R.; Novacek, Michael J.; Rougier, Guillermo W. (2004). "New data on the skull and dentition in the Mongolian Late Cretaceous eutherian mammal Zalambdalestes" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 281: 1–144. doi: 10.1206/0003-0090(2004)281<0001:NDOTSA>2.0.CO;2. hdl: 2246/449. S2CID 83491778.
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| This article about a Cretaceous mammal is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |