Earliest eutherian mammal skull, from the Late Cretaceous [Coniacian] of Uzbekistan

• Autorzy: McKenna M C , Kielan-Jaworowska Z , Meng J

Warianty tytułu

PL

Najstarsza czaszka ssaka lozyskowego z poznej kredy [koniaku] Uzbekistanu

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

We describe a partially crushed skull and dentaries of a sub-adult individual of Daulestes nessovi sp. n., from the Coniacian of Uzbekistan. This is the earliest known eutherian skull (about 87 Ma) and the sixth genus of Cretaceous eutherians in which a skull is available. Because the skull of D. nessovi is sub-adult, certain plesiomorphic features may be ontogenetic and should be interpreted with caution. Four upper premolars and five lower premolariform teeth were in use (possibly to become four lowers when fully adult). The upper cheek-teeth have winged conules; M2 has large parastylar and small metastylar projections. Pre- and postcingula are lacking on DP4 and the upper molars. The talonids of dp4-m2 are about 90% as wide as the trigonids, with widely separated entoconid and hypoconulid. The skull has a large sphenorbital fissure, no foramen rotundum, and apparently no pterygoid process of the sphenoid. A large orbital wing of the palatine prevents maxilla-frontal contact within the orbit. The zygomatic arch is slender. The cochlea has one full turn, with an expanded apex, which suggests that a lagena might have been present. A large malleus with a robust anterior process, and a large promontorium may be due to young age of the individual or a primitive retention, as in the platypus. Because of the similarity to Asioryctidaem both cranial structure and dentition, we assign Daulestes tentatively to Asioryctitheria Novacek et al. 1997, family incertae sedis.

PL

W pracy opisano częściowo uszkodzoną czaszkę młodego osobnika określonego jako Daulestes nessovi sp. n. z koniaku Uzbekistanu. Jest to najwcześniejsza czaszka ssaka łożyskowego, licząca ok. 87 milionów lat. Daulestes jest szóstym rodzajem kredowego ssaka łożyskowego, którego czaszka jest znana. Ponieważ czaszka D. nessovi należy do młodocianego osobnika, niektóre cechy plezjomorficzne mogą być związane z wczesnym stadium rozwojowym. W czaszce występują cztery górne przedtrzonowce i pięć dolnych, jest jednak możliwe, że w stadium dorosłym dolnych było też tylko cztery. Na górnych zębach policzkowych występują konułe ze skrzydełkami. Na M2 wyrostek parastylarny jest duży, metastylarny - mały. Pre- i postcingula nie występują na mlecznym czwartym przedtrzonowcu ani na trzonowcach. Talonidy dp4-m2 mierzą ok. 90 % szerokości trygonidów, a entokonidy są oddalone od hipokonulidów. W czaszce występuje duża szczelina klinowo-oczodołowa i zapewne brak wyrostka skrzydłowego kości klinowej. Duże skrzydło oczodołowe kości podniebiennej powoduje, że brak jest kontaktu między szczęką a kością oczodołową w obrębie oczodołu. Wyrostek jarzmowy jest delikatny. Błędnik ma jeden pełny skręt z rozszerzonym wierzchołkiem, co może wskazywać na obecność lageny. Duży młoteczek z silnym wyrostkiem przednim oraz duże promontorium mogą być związane z młodym wiekiem osobnika lub zachowaniem cechy plezjomorficznej (jak u dziobaka). W związku z podobieństwem do Asioryctidae zarówno w budowie czaszki, jak i uzębienia, Daulestes został zaliczony do Asioryctitheria Novacek et al. 1997, rodzina incertae sedis.

Słowa kluczowe

PL

uzebienie; fauna kopalna; Daulestes nessovi; kreda; ssaki; Uzbekistan; paleontologia; Asioryctitheria; czaszki

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
• Rocznik: 2000
• Tom: 45
• Numer: 1
• Opis fizyczny: s.1-54,fot.,tab.,rys.,bibliogr.

Twórcy

autor

McKenna M C

• Department of Vertebrate Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024-5192, USA

autor

Kielan-Jaworowska Z

• Instytut Paleobiologii PAN, ul. Twarda 51/55, PL-00-818 Warszawa, Poland

autor

Meng J

• Department of Vertebrate Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024-5192, USA

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