Schowalteria
| Schowalteria Temporal range: Late Cretaceous
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Placentalia (?) |
| Order: | †Taeniodonta |
| Genus: | †Schowalteria Fox & Naylor, 2003[1] |
| Type species | |
| †Schowalteria clemensi Fox & Naylor, 2003[1]
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Schowalteria is a genus of extinct mammal from the Cretaceous of Canada. It is the earliest known representative of order Taeniodonta, a specialised lineage of eutherian mammals otherwise found in Paleocene and Eocene deposits. It is notable for its large size, being among the largest of Mesozoic mammals,[1][2] as well as its speciation towards herbivory, which in some respects exceeds that of its later relatives.[3]
Description
Currently, Schowalteria is considered to be a
Range
Schowalteria occurs in the
Classification
Schowalteria is a taeniodont eutherian. It was initially recovered as a fairly derived member related to
Biology
In spite of being a basal taeniodont, Schowalteria is fairly derived, perhaps more so than later taenidonts. It shares with them similar speciations towards herbivory and possibly fossoriality,
As one of the largest mammals of its time period and a rather specialised herbivore, Schowalteria was a rather spectacular species among the dinosaur-rich faunas of the end of the Cretaceous.