Austrotriconodon
| Austrotriconodon | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Clade: | Cladotheria |
| Clade: | †Meridiolestida |
| Family: | †Austrotriconodontidae Bonaparte, 1992 |
| Genus: | †Austrotriconodon Bonaparte, 1986 |
| Type species | |
| Austrotriconodon mckennai Bonaparte, 1986
| |
Austrotriconodon is a
dryolestoid.[1]
Description
Austrotriconodon is known only from its teeth. Their similarity to the triconodont teeth of mammals such as
Cronopio
has led to its reinterpretation as a meridolestidan.
Discovery and species
Austrotriconodon fossils were found in the Argentinean Los Alamitos Formation, dating to the Campanian or Maastrichtian age. The only known fossils are two lower premolariform teeth.
The holotype of A. mckennai was later referred to by Bonaparte as "A. ferox" in the caption to an image figuring it. This name has been ignored by later researchers and is considered an objective synonym of A. mckennai.
A second species, A. sepulvedai, was named by Bonaparte in 1992. However, a 2013 reinterpretation placed this taxon within
Mesungulatidae, separate from A. mckennai, and considered the name "Austrotriconodon" sepulvadai an invalid combination. The authors suggested possible synonymy with Mesungulatum houssayi but neither synonymised the two nor named a new genus.[1]
References
- ^ hdl:11336/11479.