Plagiaulacida

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Plagiaulacidans
Temporal range: Middle Jurassic–Cenomanian
Paulchoffatia skull.jpg
Paulchoffatia skull
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Multituberculata
Suborder: Plagiaulacida
Families

Plagiaulacida is a group of extinct multituberculate mammals. Multituberculates were among the most common mammals of the Mesozoic, "the age of the dinosaurs". Plagiaulacids are a paraphyletic grouping, containing all multituberculates that lie outside of the advanced group Cimolodonta. They ranged from the Middle Jurassic Period to the early Late Cretaceous of the northern hemisphere. During the Cenomanian, they were replaced by the more advanced cimolodontans. [1]

Contents

Kielan-Jaworowska and Hurum (2001) divides “Plagiaulacida” into three informal lineages, the paulchoffatiids, the plagiaulicids, and the allodontids.

Allodontid line

The Allodontid line may be a superfamily, Allodontoidea.

Both allodontids and paulchoffatiids (below) were among the most basal of the plagiaulacids. The Allodontid line contains:

The family Allodontidae is known from two genera from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of North America.

The family Zofiabaataridae contains a single genus, Zofiabaatar and is also from the Morrison Formation. The affinities of a further Morrison Formation genus, Glirodon , are unclear, but it's also within the Allodontid line.

Paulchoffatiid line

The Paulchoffatiid line may be a superfamily, Paulchoffatioidea.

Some remains from the Middle Jurassic of England might belong within this group. Representatives are best known from the Upper Jurassic, (especially from Guimarota, Portugal), though some were still extant during the Lower Cretaceous.

The genera of the family Paulchoffatiidae are divided into two of subfamilies, plus a couple of harder-to-place individuals:

Other genera include Galveodon and Sunnyodon , both based on teeth from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain and England respectively.

Also referable to the paulchoffatiid line, but not the family itself, is the family Pinheirodontidae, which is known from Early Cretaceous teeth found in Iberia and England. As well as Rugosodon from the Middle-Late Jurassic of China.

Plagiaulacid line (possibly Superfamily Plagiaulacoidea)

Family Plagiaulacidae is known from the Upper Jurassic (North America) to Lower Cretaceous (Europe), being represented by Plagiaulax , Bolodon , and Morrisonodon .

Family Albionbaataridae is known from the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Asia, (China – undescribed, 2001). These were shrew-sized Multituberculates, with some similarities to the paulchoffis.

Members of the family Eobaataridae display dental similarities with members of Paracimexomys group, (Cimolodonta). They are known from the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Asia.

Sinobaatar was described after the study by Kielan-Jaworowska and Hurum (2001). The Mongolian word ‘baatar’ is frequently employed in the nomenclature of Multituberculates. This reflects the fact that many of the most complete fossils have been recovered from sites in Mongolia, though this more applies to members of the more derived Cimolodonta.

A couple of further genera possibly fit somewhere within “Plagiaulacida”. This has been tentatively proposed for Janumys of the Middle Cretaceous. Its contemporary, Ameribaatar , is of uncertain affinities. Both were first described late in 2001.

Taxonomy

Subclass † Allotheria Marsh, 1880

Related Research Articles

Cimolodonta Extinct suborder of mammals

Cimolodonta is a taxon of extinct mammals that lived from the Cretaceous to the Eocene. They were some of the more derived members of the extinct order Multituberculata. They probably lived something of a rodent-like existence until their ecological niche was assumed by true rodents. The more basal multituberculates are found in a different suborder, "Plagiaulacida", a paraphyletic group containing all non cimolodontan multituberculates.

Arginbaatar is a genus of extinct mammal from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia. It was a member of the Multituberculata, an order which is also extinct. It belongs to the family Arginbaataridae. The genus Arginbaatar was named by Trofimov B.A. in 1980. Baatar is Mongolian for "hero" or "warrior."

Glirodon is a genus of extinct mammal from the Upper Jurassic. It was a relatively early member of the also-extinct order of Multituberculata, suborder "Plagiaulacida". These mammals lived in North America during the Mesozoic, also known as the "age of the dinosaurs".

Henkelodon was a small mammal of the Upper Jurassic. It was a relatively early member of the extinct order Multituberculata. Henkelodon was a European herbivore that lived during the "age of the dinosaurs". It lies within the suborder "Plagiaulacida" and family Paulchoffatiidae.

Kielanodon is an extinct mammal of the Portuguese Upper Jurassic. It was a relatively early member of the also extinct order of Multituberculata. It eked out a living during the Mesozoic era, also known as the "Age of the Dinosaurs." It is in the suborder Plagiaulacida, family Paulchoffatiidae.

Pseudobolodon was a relatively early member of the also extinct order of mammals, Multituberculata. It lived in Portugal during the Upper Jurassic, part of the "age of the dinosaurs." It lies within the suborder "Plagiaulacida" and family Paulchoffatiidae.

Kuehneodon is a genus of extinct mammal of the Upper Jurassic - Lower Cretaceous of Europe. It was a relatively early member of the also extinct order of Multituberculata. Members of this genus lived alongside such dinosaurs as Allosaurus. It belongs to the suborder "Plagiaulacida", family Paulchoffatiidae. In addition, this genus is the only known member of a subfamily called Kuehneodontinae. It was named by Hahn G. in 1969, the name meaning "Kühne’s tooth" in honor of paleontologist Walther Kühne, pioneer of the Guimarota site of Portugal where remains were found in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Galveodon is an extinct mammal of the Lower Cretaceous. It was a relatively early representative of the also extinct order of Multituberculata. It lived during 'the age of the dinosaurs'. It's within the suborder "Plagiaulacida" and family Paulchoffatiidae.

<i>Sunnyodon</i> Genus of mammals

Sunnyodon is a genus of tiny, extinct mammal, probably of the Lower Cretaceous. Found in what is now southern England and Denmark, it was a relatively early member of the extinct order of Multituberculata. It is part of the suborder Plagiaulacida and family Paulchoffatiidae.

Gerhardodon is an extinct genus of mammal from the Lower Cretaceous of southern England. It was a member of the also extinct order of Multituberculata, and lived with such dinosaurs as Iguanodon. It lies within the suborder "Plagiaulacida" and family Pinheirodontidae.

Paulchoffatiidae Extinct family of mammals

Paulchoffatiidae is a family of extinct mammals that lived predominantly during the Upper Jurassic period, though a couple of genera are known from the Early Cretaceous. Fossils have been reported from Europe. Paulchoffatiids were members of the order Multituberculata. They were relatively early representatives and are within the informal suborder of "Plagiaulacida". The family was named by G. Hahn in 1969, and it honors the Portuguese geologist Léon Paul Choffat. Two subfamilies are recognized.

Morrisonodon brentbaatar is an extinct multituberculate mammal from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of North America.

Albionbaataridae is a family of small, extinct mammals within the order Multituberculata. Fossil remains are known from the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Asia. These herbivores lived their obscure lives during the Mesozoic, also known as the "age of the dinosaurs." They were among the more derived representatives of the informal suborder "Plagiaulacida". The taxon Albionbaataridae was named by Kielan-Jaworowska Z. and Ensom P.C. in 1994.

Albionbaatar is an extinct mammal from the Lower Cretaceous Lulworth Formation of England. It was a member of the also extinct order Multituberculata and shared the world with the much larger dinosaurs. It is in the suborder "Plagiaulacida", family Albionbaataridae. The genus Albionbaatar was named by Kielan-Jaworowska Z. and Ensom P.C. in 1994 based on a single species.

Proalbionbaatar is a small mammal from the Upper Jurassic of Guimarota, Portugal. It's the most derived member of the order Multituberculata known from that locality, and shared the world with the much larger dinosaurs. It lies within the suborder "Plagiaulacida" and family Albionbaataridae.

Eobaataridae Extinct family of mammals

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, while Jeholbaatar displays clear adaptations for scansoriality (climbing) due to its elongated digits. Due to the morphology of the cheek teeth, Eobaatar and Jeholbaatar are inferred to be omnivorous, likely feeding on plants and invertebrates.

Eobaatar is a genus of extinct mammal from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia, Spain and England. A member of the also extinct order Multituberculata, it lies within the suborder Plagiaulacida and family Eobaataridae. The genus Eobaatar was named by Kielan-Jaworowska Z., Dashzeveg D. and Trofimov B.A. in 1987. Its name was made from Greek "eos" = "dawn" and Mongolian "baatar" = "hero"", "warrior".

Monobaatar is a genus of extinct mammal from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia. It was within the also extinct order Multituberculata, and lived during the "age of the dinosaurs". It is also within the suborder "Plagiaulacida" and has been tentatively referred to the family Eobaataridae, though it probably is not a member.

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

Sinobaatar is a genus of extinct mammal from the Lower Cretaceous of China. It is categorized within the also extinct order Multituberculata and among these it belongs to the plagiaulacid lineage. Sinobaatar was a small herbivore during the Mesozoic era, commonly called "the age of the dinosaurs". The genus was named by Hu Y. and Wang Y. in 2002. Three species have been described.

References

  1. Weaver, Lucas N.; Wilson, Gregory P.; Krumenacker, L. J.; Mclaughlin, Kayla; Moore, Jason R.; Varricchio, David J. (2019-03-04). "New multituberculate mammals from the mid-Cretaceous (lower Cenomanian) Wayan Formation of southeastern Idaho and implications for the early evolution of Cimolodonta". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 39 (2): e1604532. doi:10.1080/02724634.2019.1604532. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   196655261.