Alphadon
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Alphadon is an extinct genus of small, primitive mammal that was a member of the metatherians, a group of mammals that includes modern-day marsupials. Its fossils were first discovered and named by George Gaylord Simpson in 1929.[1]
Description
Not much is known about the appearance of Alphadon, as it is only known from teeth, a lower jaw and skull fragments. It probably grew to about Script error: No such module "convert". and may have resembled a modern opossum.[2] Judging from its teeth, it was likely an omnivore, feeding on fruits, invertebrates and possibly small vertebrates. Alphadon had a very good sense of smell and sight to track down its food, both during the day and night. Its possible whiskers could have also aided in its search for food.[3][2]
Taxonomy and classification
The type species is Alphadon marshi. Eight other species are known.[1] The species Alphadon jasoni was originally described by Storer (1991);[4] it was subsequently transferred to the herpetotheriid genus Nortedelphys.[5]
Recent phylogenetic studies group it with other northern non-marsupial metatherians such as Albertatherium and Turgidodon.[6][7] A 2016 phylogenetic analysis is shown below.[8]
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References
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- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Storer, J.E. (1991). The mammals of the Gryde local fauna, Frenchman Formation (Maastrichtian: Lancian), Saskatchewan. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 11, no. 3, p. 350-396.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Guillermo W. Rougier; Brian M. Davis; Michael J. Novacek (2015). "A deltatheroidan mammal from the Upper Cretaceous Baynshiree Formation, eastern Mongolia". Cretaceous Research. 52, Part A: 167–177. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2014.09.009.
- ↑ S. Bi, X. Jin, S. Li and T. Du. 2015. A new Cretaceous metatherian mammal from Henan, China. PeerJ 3:e896
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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