A Gliriform Tooth from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China) and the Premolar Morphology of Anagalidan Mammals at a Crossroads
The middle Eocene in Nei Mongol (China) was an interval of profound faunal changes as regards the basal Glires and gliriform mammals in general. A major diversification of rodent lineages (ctenodactyloids) and more modern small-sized lagomorphs was accompanied by a decline of mimotonids (<i>Go...
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| author | Łucja Fostowicz-Frelik Qian Li Anwesha Saha |
| author_facet | Łucja Fostowicz-Frelik Qian Li Anwesha Saha |
| author_sort | Łucja Fostowicz-Frelik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The middle Eocene in Nei Mongol (China) was an interval of profound faunal changes as regards the basal Glires and gliriform mammals in general. A major diversification of rodent lineages (ctenodactyloids) and more modern small-sized lagomorphs was accompanied by a decline of mimotonids (<i>Gomphos</i> and <i>Mimolagus</i>) and anagalids. The latter was an enigmatic group of basal Euarchontoglires endemic to China and Mongolia. Here, we describe the first anagalid tooth (a P4) from the Huheboerhe classic site in the Erlian Basin. The tooth, characterized by its unique morphology intermediate between mimotonids and anagalids is semihypsodont, has a single buccal root typical of mimotonids, a large paracone located anteriorly, and a nascent hypocone, characteristic of advanced anagalids. The new finding of neither an abundant nor speciose group suggests a greater diversity of anagalids in the Eocene of China. This discovery is important because it demonstrates the convergent adaptations in anagalids, possibly of ecological significance. |
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| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:04:34Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-e8f2981ce4894ec2b04b047f619073582023-11-20T19:53:26ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182020-11-01121142010.3390/d12110420A Gliriform Tooth from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China) and the Premolar Morphology of Anagalidan Mammals at a CrossroadsŁucja Fostowicz-Frelik0Qian Li1Anwesha Saha2Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Anthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Ave., Beijing 100044, ChinaKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Anthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Ave., Beijing 100044, ChinaInstitute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, PolandThe middle Eocene in Nei Mongol (China) was an interval of profound faunal changes as regards the basal Glires and gliriform mammals in general. A major diversification of rodent lineages (ctenodactyloids) and more modern small-sized lagomorphs was accompanied by a decline of mimotonids (<i>Gomphos</i> and <i>Mimolagus</i>) and anagalids. The latter was an enigmatic group of basal Euarchontoglires endemic to China and Mongolia. Here, we describe the first anagalid tooth (a P4) from the Huheboerhe classic site in the Erlian Basin. The tooth, characterized by its unique morphology intermediate between mimotonids and anagalids is semihypsodont, has a single buccal root typical of mimotonids, a large paracone located anteriorly, and a nascent hypocone, characteristic of advanced anagalids. The new finding of neither an abundant nor speciose group suggests a greater diversity of anagalids in the Eocene of China. This discovery is important because it demonstrates the convergent adaptations in anagalids, possibly of ecological significance.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/12/11/420EuarchontogliresAnagalidaedental morphologyEoceneIrdinmanhanNei Mongol |
| spellingShingle | Łucja Fostowicz-Frelik Qian Li Anwesha Saha A Gliriform Tooth from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China) and the Premolar Morphology of Anagalidan Mammals at a Crossroads Diversity Euarchontoglires Anagalidae dental morphology Eocene Irdinmanhan Nei Mongol |
| title | A Gliriform Tooth from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China) and the Premolar Morphology of Anagalidan Mammals at a Crossroads |
| title_full | A Gliriform Tooth from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China) and the Premolar Morphology of Anagalidan Mammals at a Crossroads |
| title_fullStr | A Gliriform Tooth from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China) and the Premolar Morphology of Anagalidan Mammals at a Crossroads |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Gliriform Tooth from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China) and the Premolar Morphology of Anagalidan Mammals at a Crossroads |
| title_short | A Gliriform Tooth from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China) and the Premolar Morphology of Anagalidan Mammals at a Crossroads |
| title_sort | gliriform tooth from the eocene of the erlian basin nei mongol china and the premolar morphology of anagalidan mammals at a crossroads |
| topic | Euarchontoglires Anagalidae dental morphology Eocene Irdinmanhan Nei Mongol |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/12/11/420 |
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