Protungulatum donnae
Protungulatum Temporal range: Late Cretaceous - Paleocene, Maastrichtian–Danian Possible Campanian record | |
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Jaw | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Infraclass: | Eutheria |
Genus: | Protungulatum Sloan and Van Valen, 1965 |
Species: | P. donnae |
Protungulatum donnae is the type species for the Protungulatum genus, an extinct early form of eutherian mammal. Though it is by no means the earliest mammal in the fossil record, a 2013 study considers P. donnae to be the oldest undisputed placental mammal fossil,[1][2] though more recent examinations conclude that it was a more basal eutherian and that no placental predates the Paleocene.[3]
References
- ↑ O'Leary, Maureen A.; Bloch, Jonathan I.; Flynn, John J.; Gaudin, Timothy J.; Giallombardo, Andres; Giannini, Norberto P.; Goldberg, Suzann L.; Kraatz, Brian P.; Luo, Zhe-Xi; Meng, Jin; Novacek, Michael J.; Perini, Fernando A.; Randall, Zachary S.; Rougier, Guillermo; Sargis, Eric J.; Silcox, Mary T.; Simmons, Nancy b.; Spaulding, Micelle; Velazco, Paul M.; Weksler, Marcelo; Wible, John r.; Cirranello, Andrea L. (8 February 2013). "The Placental Mammal Ancestor and the Post–K-Pg Radiation of Placentals". Science. 339 (6120): 662–667. Bibcode:2013Sci...339..662O. doi:10.1126/science.1229237. PMID 23393258. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ↑ Wilford, John Noble (7 February 2013). "Rat-Size Ancestor Said to Link Man and Beast". New York Times. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ↑ Resolving the relationships of Paleocene placental mammals
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