Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

New Study on Dental and Skeletal Features of the Cretaceous “Symmetrodontan” Mammal Zhangheotherium

  • Comparative Morphology and Early Diversification of Mammals
  • Published:
Journal of Mammalian Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A new partial skeleton of the Cretaceous “symmetrodontan” mammal Zhangheotherium quinquecuspedens from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China has shed light on the dental and skeletal features of this taxon. The new fossil is a juvenile individual of late growth stage, preserved with interesting features of the premolar replacement. This fossil also provides new information on the vertebral column, the pelvis, the hindlimb and pes. Zhangheotherium has a typical diphyodont replacement of its premolars that is characterized by an alternating pattern (p1 → p3 → p2). This alternating replacement of premolars is a derived condition shared by Dryolestes, Slaughteria, and some basal eutherians, and differs from the plesiomorphic sequential replacement of anterior postcanines in eutricondontans, in most multituberculates and in stem mammaliaforms. The calcaneus and astragalus in the ankle joint of Zhangheotherium lack superposition. This shows that the trechnotherian clade, of which Zhangheotherium is a basal taxon, has retained the primitive condition of mammaliaforms in which the astragalus is in juxtaposition with the calcaneus. Coupled with recent evidence from the earliest metatherians and eutherians, this suggests that the superposition of astragalus and calcaneus evolved in parallel in metatherians and eutherians.

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

References

  • Averianov, A. O. (2002). Early Cretaceous “symmetrodont” mammal Gobiotheriodon from Mongolia and the classification of “Symmetrodonta.” Acta Palaeontol. Polon. 47: 705–716.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cifelli, R. L. (1999). Therian teeth of unusual design from the medial Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian) Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah. J. Mammal. Evol. 6: 247–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cifelli, R. L., and Madsen, S. K. (1999). Spalacotheriid symmetrodonts (Mammalia) from the medial Cretaceous (upper Albian or lower Cenomanian) Mussentuchit local fauna, Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, USA. Geodiversitas 21: 167–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crompton, A. W. (1971). The origin of the tribosphenic molar. In: Early Mammals, D. M. Kermack and K. A. Kermack, eds., pp. 65–87, Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 50, London.

  • Crompton, A. W., and Jenkins, F. A., Jr. (1967). American Jurassic symmetrodonts and Rhaetic “pantotheres.” Science 155: 1006–1009.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crompton, A. W., and Luo, Z.-X. (1993). Relationships of the Liassic mammals Sinoconodon, Morganucodon, and Dinnetherium. In: Mammal Phylogeny: Mesozoic Differentiation, Multituberculates, Monotremes, Early Therians, and Marsupials, F. S. Szalay, M. J. Novacek, and M. C. McKenna, eds., pp. 30–44. Springer-Verlag, New York.

  • Evans, H. E. (1995). Miller's Anatomy of The Dog (3rd edn.), Saunders, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, R. C. (1976). Addition to the mammalian local fauna from the upper Milk River Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Alberta. Can. J. Earth Sci. 13: 1105–1118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, R. C. (1985). Upper molar structure in the Late Cretaceous symmetrodont Symmetrodontoides Fox, and a classfication of the Symmetrodonta (Mammalia). J. Paleontol. 59: 21–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, P. (2004). A new symmetrodont from the Early Cretaceous of England. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24: 748–752.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenwald, N. S. (1988). Patterns of tooth eruption and replacement in multituberculate mammals. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 8: 265–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horovitz, I. (2000). The tarsus of Ukhaatherium nessovi (Eutheria, Mammalia) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia: an appraisal of the evolution of the ankle in basal therians. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 20: 547–560.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Y-M., and Wang, Y.-Q. (2002). Sinobataar gen. nov.: First multituberculate from Jehol Biota of Liaoning, Northern China. Chin. Sci. Bull. 47: 933–938.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Y.-M., Wang, Y.-Q., Luo, Z.-X., and Li, C.-K. (1997). A new symmetrodont mammal from China and its implications for mammalian evolution. Nature 390: 137–142.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Y.-M., Wang, Y.-Q., Li, C.-K., and Luo, Z.-X. (1998). Morphology of dentition and forelimb of Zhangheotherium. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 36: 102–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Y.-M., Meng, J., Wang, Y.-Q., and Li, C.-K. (2005). Large Mesozoic mammals fed on young dinosaurs. Nature. 433: 149–153.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, F. A., Jr. (1970). Cynodont postcranial anatomy and the “prototherians” level of mammalian organization. Evolution 24: 230–252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, F. A., Jr., and Parrington, F. R. (1976). The postcranial skeletons of the Triassic mammals Eozostrodon, Megazostrodon and Erythrotherium. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 273: 387–431.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, F. A., Jr., and Schaff, C. R. (1988). The Early Cretaceous mammal Gobiconodon (Mammalia, Triconodonta) from the Cloverly Formation in Montana. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 6: 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ji, Q., Luo, Z.-X., and Ji, S. (1999). A Chinese triconodont mammal and mosaic evolution of the mammalian skeleton. Nature 398: 326–330.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ji, Q., Luo, Z.-X., Yuan, C.-X., Wible, J. R., Zhang, J.-P., and Georgi, J. A. (2002). The earliest known eutherian mammal. Nature 416: 816–822.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kielan-Jaworowska, Z. (1975). Possible occurrence of marsupial bones in Cretaceous eutherian mammals. Nature 255: 698–699.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kielan-Jaworowska, Z. (1977). Evolution of the therian mammals in the Late Cretaceous of Asia. Part II. Postcranial skeleton in Kennalestes and Asioryctes. Palaeontol. Polon. 37: 65–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kielan-Jaworowska, Z. (1979). Pelvic structure and nature of reproduction in Multituberculata. Nature 277: 402–403.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kielan-Jaworowska, Z., and Dashzeveg, D. (1998). Early Cretaceous amphilestid (“triconodont”) mammals from Mongolia. Acta Palaeontol. Polon. 43: 413–438.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kielan-Jaworowska, Z., and Gambaryan, P. P. (1994). Postcranial anatomy and habits of Asian multituberculate mammals. Fossils Strata 36: 1–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kielan-Jaworowska, Z., Cifelli, R. L., and Luo, Z.-X. (2004). Mammals from the Age of Dinosaurs: Origins, Structure, and Evolution, Columbia University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi, Y., Winkler, D. A., and Jacobs, L. L. (2002). Origin of the tooth-replacement pattern in therian mammals: Evidence from a 110 Myr old fossil. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 269: 369–373.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause, D. W., and Jenkins, F. A. (1983). The postcranial skeleton of North American multituberculates. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 150: 199–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krebs, B. (1991). Das Skelett von Henkelotherium guimarotae gen. et sp. nov. (Eupantotheria, Mammalia) aus dem Oberen Jura von Portugal. Berliner geowissenschafliche Abhandlungen A 133: 1–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, J.-L., Wang, Y., Wang, Y.-Q., and Li, C.-K. (2001). A new family of primitive mammals from the Mesozoic of western Liaoning, China. Chin. Sci. Bull. 46: 782–785.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li, C.-K., Wang, Y.-Q., Hu, Y.-M., and Meng, J. (2003). A new species of Gobiconodon (Triconodonta, Mammalia) and its implications for the age of Jehol Biota. Chin. Sci. Bull. (English Edition) 48: 1129–1134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lo, C.-H., Chen, P.-J., Tsou, T.-Y., Sun, S.-S., and Lee, C.-Y. (1999). 40Ar/39Ar laser single grain and K-Ar dating of Yixian Formation, NE China. In: Jehol Biota, P.-J. Chen and F. Jin, eds., pp. 328–340, Science Press, Beijing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo, Z.-X., Ji, Q., and Ji, S. A. (2001). New evidence on dental replacement in symmetrodonts and its implications for mammalian evolution. J. Morphol. 248: 256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo, Z.-X., Kielan-Jaworowska, Z., and Cifelli, R. L. (2002). In quest for a phylogeny of Mesozoic mammals. Acta Palaeontol. Polon. 47: 1–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo, Z.-X., Ji, Q., Wible, J. R., and Yuan, C.-X. (2003). An Early Cretaceous tribosphenic mammal and metatherian evolution. Science 302: 1934–1940.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo, Z.-X., Kielan-Jaworowska, Z., and Cifelli, R. L. (2004). Evolution of dental replacement in mammals. In: Fanfare for an Uncommon Paleontologist—Festschrift in Honor of Dr. Malcolm C. McKenna, M. R. Dawson, and J. A. Lillegraven, eds., pp. 159–175. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History Bulletin 36.

  • Martin, T. (1997). Tooth replacement in Late Jurassic Dryolestidae (Eupantotheria, Mammalia). J. Mammal. Evol. 4: 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, T. (1999). Dryolestidae (Dryolestoidea, Mammalia) aus dem Oberen Jura von Portugal. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 550: 1–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, T., and Nowotny, M. (2000). The docodont Haldanodon from the Guimarota Mine. In: Guimarota: A Jurassic Ecosystem, T. Martin and B. Krebs, eds., pp. 91–96, Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, Munich.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenna, M. C. (1975). Toward a phylogenetic classification of the Mammalia. In: Phylogeny of the Primates, W. P. Luckett and F. S. Szalay, eds., pp. 21–46. Plenum, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills, J. R. E. (1984). The molar dentition of a Welsh pantothere. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 82: 189–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Muizon, C. (1998). Mayulestes ferox, a borhyaenoid (Metatheria, Mammalia) from the early Palaeocene of Bolivia. Phylogenetic and palaeobiologic implications. Geodiversitas 20: 19–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Novacek, M. J., Rougier, G. W., Wible, J. R., McKenna, M. C., Dashzeveg, D., and Horovitz, I. (1997). Epipubic bones in eutherian mammals from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Nature 389: 483–486.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nowotny, M., Martin, T., and Fischer, M. (2001). Dental anatomy and tooth replacement of Haldanodon exspectatus (Docodonta, Mammalia) from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal. J. Morphol. 248: 268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prothero, D. R. (1981). New Jurassic mammals from Como Bluff, Wyoming, and the interrelationships of non-tribosphenic Theria. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 167: 277–326.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rougier, G. W. (1993). Vincelestes neuquenianus Bonaparte (Mammalia, Theria) un primitivo mamífero del Cretácico Inferior de la Cuenca Neuquina, Ph.D. Dissertation, Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires.

  • Rougier, G. W., Wible, J. R., and Novacek, M. J. (1998). Implications of Deltatheridium specimens for early marsupial history. Nature 396: 459–463.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rougier, G. W., Ji, Q., and Novacek, M. J. (2003). A new symmetrodont mammal with fur impression from the Mesozoic of China. Acta Geol. Sinica 77: 7–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowe, T. B. (1988). Definition, diagnosis, and origin of Mammalia. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 8: 241–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sigogneau-Russell, D., and Ensom, P. C. (1998). Thereuodon (Theria, Symmetrodonta) from the Lower Cretaceous of North Africa and Europe, and a brief review of symmetrodonts. Cretaceous Res. 19: 1–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, G. G. (1928). A Catalogue of the Mesozoic Mammalia in the Geological Department of the British Museum. Trustees of the British Museum, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swisher, C. C., III, Wang, Y.-Q., Wang, X.-L., Xu, X., and Wang, Y. (1999). Cretaceous age for the feathered dinosaurs of Liaoning, China. Nature 398: 58–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szalay, F. S. (1994). Evolutionary History of the Marsupials and an Analysis of Osteological Characters, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y.-Q., Hu, Y.-M., Meng, J., and Li, C.-K. (2001). An ossified Meckel's cartilage in two Cretaceous mammals and origin of the mammalian middle ear. Science 294: 357–361.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, F.-K., Crompton, A. W., Luo, Z.-X., and Schaff, C. R. (1998). Pattern of dental replacement of Sinoconodon and its implications for evolution of mammals. Vertebr. PalAsiatica 36: 197–217.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Vertebrate Paleontology, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennysylvania, 15213, USA

    Zhe-Xi Luo

  2. Institute of Geology, The Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, 100037, China

    Qiang Ji

Authors
  1. Zhe-Xi Luo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qiang Ji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhe-Xi Luo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Luo, ZX., Ji, Q. New Study on Dental and Skeletal Features of the Cretaceous “Symmetrodontan” Mammal Zhangheotherium . J Mammal Evol 12, 337–357 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-005-6958-x

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-005-6958-x

Key Words

Search

Navigation