ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS OF SUDAMERICID (GONDWANATHERIA) MAMMALS FROM THE EARLY PALEOCENE OF ARGENTINA |
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Authors: | YAMILA GUROVICH |
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Institution: | 1. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, UNSW 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia;2. e‐mail yamilag@gmail.com |
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Abstract: | Abstract: The extinct, Cretaceous–Paleogene Gondwanatherians have previously been considered to be early xenarthrans, multituberculates and more recently Mammalia incertae sedis. However, the phylogenetic relationships of Gondwanatheria have yet to be resolved. In this paper, additional dental specimens of the gondwanatherian Sudamerica ameghinoi from the Early Paleocene Salamanca Formation of Argentina are described. These specimens provide additional information on Gondwanatheria affinities, sudamericid morphology and help support earlier hypotheses on Sudamerica dental formula and tooth categories. Sudamericid dental functional morphology and body mass estimates, based on measurements of isolated teeth, are inferred. Dental morphology such as hypsodonty, enamel microstructure and crown features do support a robust clade for Sudamericidae. |
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Keywords: | Mammalia Gondwana Gondwanatheria Sudamericidae dental morphology body‐mass |
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