Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

“South American” Marsupials from the Late Cretaceous of North America and the Origin of Marsupial Cohorts

  • Published:
Journal of Mammalian Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Newly described marsupial specimens of Judithian (late Campanian) and Lancian (Maastrichtian) age in the western interior of North America (Wyoming to Alberta) have dental morphologies consistent with those expected in comparably aged sediments in South America (yet to be found). Three new Lancian species are referable to the didelphimorphian Herpetotheriidae, which suggests that the ameridelphian radiation was well under way by this time. The presence of a polydolopimorphian from Lancian deposits with a relatively plesiomorphic dental morphology and an additional polydolopimorphian taxon from Judithian deposits with a more derived molar form indicate that this lineage of typically South American marsupials was diversifying in the Late Cretaceous of North America. This study indicates that typical South American lineages (e.g. didelphimorphians and polydolopimorphians) are not the result of North American peradectian progenitors dispersing into South America at the end of the Cretaceous (Lancian), or at the beginning of the Paleocene (Puercan), and giving rise to the ameridelphian marsupials. Instead, these lineages, and predictably others as well, had their origins in North America (probably in more southerly latitudes) and then dispersed into South America by the end of the Cretaceous. Geophysical evidence concerning the connections between North and South America in the Late Cretaceous is summarized as to the potential for overland mammalian dispersal between these places at those times. Paleoclimatic reconstructions are considered, as is the dispersal history of hadrosaurine dinosaurs and boid snakes, as to their contribution to an appraisal of mammalian dispersals in the Late Cretaceous. In addition, we present a revision of the South American component of the Marsupialia. One major outcome of this process is that the Polydolopimorphia is placed as Supercohort Marsupialia incertae sedis because no characteristics currently known from this clade securely place it within one of the three named marsupial cohorts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

LITERATURE CITED

  • Aplin, K., and Archer, M. (1987). Recent advances in marsupial systematics, with a new, higher level classification of the Marsupialia. In: Possums and Opossums: Studies in Evolution, M. Archer, ed., pp. 369-391, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Surrey Beatty and Sons Pty Limited, Chipping Norton, New South Wales.

    Google Scholar 

  • Archer, M., Jenkins, F. A., Jr., Hand, S. J., Murray, P., and Godhelp, H. (1993). Description of the skull and non-vestigial dentition of a Miocene Platypus (Obdurodon dicksoni, n. sp.) from Riversleigh, Australia, and the problem of monotreme origins. In: Platypus and Echidnas, M. L. Augee, ed., pp. 15-27, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Sydney.

    Google Scholar 

  • Archer, M., Murray, P., Hand, S., and Godhelp, H. (1992). Reconsideration of monotreme relationships based on the skull and dentition of the Miocene Obdurodon dicksoni. In: Mammalian Phylogeny, Vol. 1, Mesozoic Differentiation, Multituberculates, Monotremes, Early Therians, and Marsupials, F. S. Szalay, M. Novacek, and M. McKenna, eds., pp. 75-94, Springer, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonaparte, J. F. (1990). New Late Cretaceous mammals from the Los Alamitos Formation, northern Patagonia. Natl. Geograph. Res. 6: 63-93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonaparte, J. F. (1996). Cretaceous tetrapods of Argentina. Munchner Geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen A 30: 73-130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonaparte, J. F., and Rougier, G. (1987). The Late Cretaceous fauna of Los Alamitos, Patagonia, Argentina. Part VII-The Hadrosaurs. Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, Paleontologia 3: 155-161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, R. L. (1988). Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution, W. H. Freeman, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Case, J. A. (1992). Paleocene gap in the fossil record of North American Didelphids. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 13: 22A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Case, J. A., Martin, J. E., Chaney, D. S., Reguero, M., and Woodburne, M. O. (1998). The first hadrosaur from Antarctica. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 18: 32A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Case, J. A., Martin, J. E., Chaney, D. S., Reguero, M., Marenssi, S. A., Santillana, S. M., and Woodburne, M. O. (2000). The first duck-billed dinosaur (Family Hadrosauridae) from Antarctica. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 20: 612-614.

    Google Scholar 

  • Case, J. A., and Woodburne, M. O. (1986). South American marsupials: A successful crossing of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Palaios 1: 413-416.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cifelli, R. L., Kirkland, J. I., Weil, A., Deino, A. L., and Kowallis, B. J. (1997). High-precision 40 Ar/39 Ar geochronology and the advent of North America's Late Cretaceous terrestrial fauna. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 94: 11163-11167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clemens, W. A. (1966). Fossil mammals from the type Lance Formation, Wyoming. Part II. Univ. Calif. Publ. Geol. Sci. 66: 1-122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coria, R. A. (1998). A new iguanodontian dinosaur from the Neuquen Group, Argentina, with comments on ornithischian biogeography. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 18: 35A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crochet, J.-Y. (1979). Les Marsupiaux du Tertiare du Tertiare d'Europe, ´ Editions de la Fondation singer-Polignac, Paris.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crochet, J.-Y., and Sige, B. (1993). Les mammiferes de Chulpas (Formation Umayo) transition Cretace-Teriare, Perou: donnees preliminaires. Documents d' Laboratoire de Geologie Lyon 125: 97-107.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Muizon, C. (1991). La fauna de mam´ýferos de Tiupampa (Paleoceno Inferior, Formaci´ on Santa Luc´ýa), Bolivia. In: F´ osiles y Facies de Bolivia, 1, Vertebrados, pp. 575-624, Santa Cruz. Revista T´ ecnica de Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos 12: 3-4.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Muizon, C., and Brito, I. M. (1993). Le bassin calcaire de S" ao Jos´ e de Itabora´ý (Rio de Janeiro, Br´ esil): ses relacions fauniques avec le site de Tiupampa (Cochambamba, Bolivie). Annales de Palaeontologie 79: 233-269.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Muizon, C., Cifelli, R. L., and Paz, R. C. (1997). The origin of the dog-like borhyaenoid marsupials of South America. Nature 389: 486-489.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Muizon, C., and Marshall, L. G. (1992). Alcidedorbignya inopinata (Mammalia: Pantodonta) from the early Paleocene of Bolivia: Phylogenetic and paleobiogeographic implications. J. Paleontol. 66: 499-520.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flannery, T., Archer, M., Rich, T. H., and Jones, R. (1995). A new family of monotremes from the Cretaceous of Australia. Nature 377: 418-420.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flynn, J. J., and Swisher, C. C., III. (1995). Cenozoic South American land mammal ages: Correlation to global geochronologies. In: Geochronology, Time-Scales and Global Stratigraphic Correlations: A Unified Framework for an Historical Geology, W. A. Berggren, D. V. Kent, M.-P. Aubry, and J. Hardenbol, eds., pp. 317-333, Society of Stratigraphic Geology, Special Publ. 54, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, R. C. (1979). Mammals from the Upper Cretaceous Oldman Formation, Alberta: I, Alphadon, Simpson (Marsupialia). Can. J. Earth Sci. 16: 91-102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goin, F. J. (2003). Early marsupial radiations in South America. In: Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, M. Jones, C. Dickman, and M. Archer, eds., pp. 30-42, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization, Sydney.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goin, F. J., and Candela, A. M. (1996). A new early Eocene polydolopimorphian (Mammalia, Marsupialia) from Patagonia. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 16: 292-296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goin, F. J., Candela, A. M., Bond, M., Pascual, R., and Escribano, V. (1998a). Una nueva ¨ ecomadreja´ý (Mam-malia, Marsupialia, Polydolopimorphia) del Paleoceno de Patagonia, Argentina. Associacion Paleontolog1ia Argentina. Pub. Spec. 5. Paleogeno de America del Sur y de la Pen'Insula Antartica: 71-78.

  • Goin, F. J., Candela, A. M., and de Muizon, C. (2003). The affinities of Roberthoffstetteria nationalgeographica (Marsupialia) and the origin of the polydolopine molar pattern. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 23: 869-876.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goin, F. J., Case, J. A., Woodburne, M. O., Vizcaino, S. F., and Reguero, M. A. (1999). New discoveries of "opossum-like" marsupials from Antarctica (Seymour Island, Middle Eocene). J. Mamm. Evol. 6: 335-365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goin, F. J., Oliveira, E. V., and Candela, A. M. (1998b). Carolocoutoia ferigoloi n. gen. et. sp. (Protodidelphidae), a new Paleocene "opossum-like" marsupial from Brazil. Palaeovertabrata 27: 145-154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gradstein, F. M., Agterberg, F. P., Ogg, J. G., Hardenbol, J., Van Veen, P., Thierry, J., and Huang, Z. (1995). A Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous time scale. In: Geochronology, Time-Scales and Global Stratigraphic Correlations: A Unified Framework for an Historical Geology, W. A. Berggren, D. V. Kent, M.-P. Aubry, and J. Hardenbol, eds., pp. 95-126, Society for Stratigraphic Geology Special Publ. 54, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huber, B. T. (1998). Tropical Paradise at the Poles? Science 282: 2199-2200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johanson, Z. (1996). New marsupial from the Fort Union Formation, Swain Quarry, Wyoming. J. Paleontol. 70: 1023-1032.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller, G. (2001). The End-Cretaceous mass extinction in the marine realm: Year 2000 Assessment. Planet. Space Sci. 49: 817-830.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirsch, J. A. W., Dickerman, A. A., Reig, O. A., and Springer, M. S. (1991). DNA hybridization evi-dence for the Australasian affinity of Dromiciops australis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88: 10465-10469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirsch, J. A. W., Lapointe, F.-J., and Springer, M. S. (1997). DNA-hybridization studies of marsupials and their implications for metatherian classification. Aust. J. Zool. 45: 211-280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause, D. W., Rodgers, R. R., Forester, C. A., Hartman, J. A., Buckley, G. A., and Sampson, S. D. (1999). The Late Cretaceous vertebrate fauna of Madagascar: Implications for Gondwanan paleobiogeography. GSA Today 9: 1-7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishtalka, L., and Stucky, R. K. (1983). Paleocene and Eocene marsupals of North America. Ann. Carnegie Mus. Nat. Hist. 52: 229-263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladevéze, S. (2004). Metatherian petrosals from the late Paleocene of Itabora´ý, Brazil, and their phylogenetic implications. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 21: 202-213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lillegraven, J. A. (1969). Latest Cretaceous mammals of upper part of Edmonton Formation of Alberta, Canada, and review of marsupial placental dichotomy of mammalian evolution. Univ. Kansas Paleontol. Contrib. 50: 1-122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lillegraven, J. A., and McKenna, M. C. (1986). Fossil mammals from the "Mesaverde" Formation (Late Creta-ceous, Judithian) of the Bighorn and Wind River basins, Wyoming, with definitions of Late Cretaceous North American land-mammals "ages." Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. Novit. 2840: 1-68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luckett, W. P. (1993). An ontogenetic assessment of dental homologies in therian mammals. In: Mammal Phy-logeny, Vol. 1, Meosozic Differentiation, Multituberculates, Monotremes, Early Therians, and Marsupials, F. S. Szalay, M. J. Novacek, and M. C. McKenna, eds., pp. 182-204, Springer-Verlag, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, L. G. (1987). Systematics of Itaboraian (middle Paleocene) age "opossum-like" marsupials from the limestone quarry at São José de Itabora´ý, Brazil. In: Possums and Opossums: Studies in Evolution, M. Archer, ed., pp. 91-160, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Surrey Beatty and Sons Pty Limited, Chipping Norton, New South Wales.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, L. G., Case, J. A., and Woodburne, M. O. (1990). Phylogenetic relationships of the families of marsupials. In:Current Mammalogy, Vol. 2, H. Genoways, ed., pp. 33-405, Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, L. G., and de Muizon, C. (1988). The dawn of the age of mammals in South America. Natl. Geograph. Res. 4: 23-55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J. E., Case, J. A., Jagt, J. W. M., Schulp, A. S., and Mulder, E. W. A. (2003). The first didelphid marsupial (Mammalia) from Europe and its significance concerning Late Cretaceous biogeography. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 29: 32A.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenna, M. C., and Bell, S. K. (1997). Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level, Columbia University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pascual, R., Archer, M., Ortiz-Jaureguizar, E., Prado, J. L., Godthelp, H., and Hand, S. J. (1992). First discovery of monotremes in South America. Nature 356: 704-706.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paula Couto, C., de. (1970). News on the fossil marsupials from the Riochican of Brazil. Anales de la Acadamia Brasiliera de Ciencias 42: 19-34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pindell, J. L. (1994). Evolution of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. In: Caribbean Geology: An Introduction, S. K. Donovan and T. A. Jackson, eds., pp. 13-39, The University of West Indies Publishers Association, Mona, Jamaica.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rage, J. C. (1978). Une connexion continentale entre Am´ erique du Nord et Am´ erique du Sud au Cr´ etac´ e superieur? L'exemple des vert´ ebr´ es continentaux. Compte rendu sommaire de Sc´ eances de la Soci´ et´ e G´ eologique de France 6: 281-285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ride, W. D. L. (1964). A review of Australian fossil marsupials. J. Proc. R. Soc. West. Aust. 47: 97-131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ride, W. D. L. (1970). A Guide to the Native Mammals of Australia, Melbourne, Oxford University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, J. K., and Wolberg, D. L. (1987). The therian mammalian fauna (Campanian) of Quarry 1, Fossil Forest study area, San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Pap. 209: 51-79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rougier, G. W., Noavcek, M. J., Pascual, R., Gelfo, J. N., and Ladera, G. (2001). New Late Cretaceous mammals from Argentina and the survival of Mesozoic lineages in the Patagonian early Tertiary. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 19: 65A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sahni, A. (1972). The vertebrate fauna of the Judith River Formation, Montana. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 147: 323-412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sempere, T., Butler, R. G., Richards, D. R., Marshall, L. G., Sharp, W., and Swisher, C. C., III (1997). Stratigraphy and chronology of Upper Cretaceous-lower Paleogene strata in Bolivia and northwest Argentina. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 109: 709-727

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, G. G. (1945). The principles of classification and a classification of mammals. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 85: vi-xvi, 1-350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, G. G. (1953). Evolution and Geography. In: Condon Lectures, Oregon State System of Higher Education, Oregon, p. 35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Springer, M. S., Westerman, M., Kavanagh, J. R., Burk, A., Woodburne, M. O., Kao, D. J., and Krajewski, C. (1998). The origin of the Australasian marsupial fauna and the phylogenetic affinities of the enigmatic Monito de Monte and marsupial mole. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 265: 2381-2386.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szalay, F. S. (1982a). A new appraisal of marsupial phylogeny and classification. In: Carnivorous Marsupials, M. Archer, ed., pp. 621-640, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Mossman, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szalay, F. S. (1982b). Phylogenetic relationships of the marsupials. Geobios Memoire Special 6: 177-190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szalay, F. S. (1994). Evolutionary History of the Marsupials and an Analysis of Osteological Characters,Cam-bridge University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Temple-Smith, P. (1987). Sperm structure and marsupial phylogeny. In: Possums and Opossums: Studies in Evolution, M. Archer, ed., pp. 171-193, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Surrey Beatty and Sons Pty Limited, Chipping Norton, New South Wales.

    Google Scholar 

  • Villamil, T., and Pindell, J. L. (1998). Mesozoic paleogeographic evolution of northern South America: Foun-dation for sequence stratigraphic studies in passive margin strata deposited during non-glacial times. In: Paleogeographic Evolution and Non-Glacial Eustacy, Northern South America, J. L. Pindell and C. Drake, eds., pp. 283-318, Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Special Publ. No. 58.

  • Woodbure, M. O. (2004). Global events and the North American mammalian biochronology. In: Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic Mammals of North America: Biostratigraphy and Geochronology, M. O. Woodburne, ed., pp. 315-343, Columbia University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodburne, M. O. (2003). Monotremes as tribosphenic mammals. J. Mamm. Evol. 10: 195-248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodburne, M. O., and Case, J. A. (1996). Dispersal, vicariance, and the Late Cretaceous to early Tertiary land mammal biogeography from South America to Australia. J. Mamm. Evol. 3: 121-161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodburne, M. O., and Swisher, C. C., III (1995). Land mammal high resolution geochronology, intercontinental overland dispersals, sea-level, climate, and vicariance. In: Geochronology, Time-Scales and Global Strati-graphic Correlations: A Unified Framework for an Historical Geology, W. A. Berggren, D. V. Kent, M.-P. Aubry, and J. Hardenbol, eds., pp. 335-364, Society of Stratigraphic Geology, Spec. Publ. No. 54.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Saint Mary's College of California, P.O. Box 4507, Moraga, California, 94575, USA

    Judd A Case

  2. División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Avenida del Bosque s/n 1900, La Plata, Argentina

    Francisco J. Goin

  3. Department of Geology, Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86001, USA

    Michael O. Woodburne

Authors
  1. Judd A Case
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Francisco J. Goin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Michael O. Woodburne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Case, J.A., Goin, F.J. & Woodburne, M.O. “South American” Marsupials from the Late Cretaceous of North America and the Origin of Marsupial Cohorts. Journal of Mammalian Evolution 11, 223–255 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOMM.0000047339.39630.82

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOMM.0000047339.39630.82

Search

Navigation