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The Origin and Evolution of Mammals - Moodle

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Minimal divergence <strong>of</strong> tribosphenidans<br />

Bs V H Bm Ap Ab Ce T C S Ca Ma Pa Eo<br />

145 135 125 115 105 95 85 75 65 55 45<br />

Minimal divergence eutherians-metatherians<br />

Kielantherium<br />

Aegialodon<br />

Crown ungulates<br />

Aspanlestes<br />

Eoungulatum<br />

Tribotherium<br />

Protungulatum<br />

Zalambdalestes<br />

Gypsonictops<br />

Cimolestes<br />

Kennalestes<br />

Asioryctes<br />

Ukhaatherium<br />

Daulestes<br />

Montanalestes<br />

Murtoilestes<br />

Prokennalestes<br />

Eomaia<br />

Sinodelphys<br />

Holoclemensia<br />

Deltatheridium<br />

Atokatheridium<br />

Sulestes<br />

Marsasia<br />

Kokopellia<br />

Asiatherium<br />

Albertatherium<br />

Anchistodelphys<br />

Turgidodon<br />

Pediomys<br />

Didelphodon<br />

famously by Gregory (1947) <strong>and</strong> more recently on<br />

the basis <strong>of</strong> some molecular evidence. However,<br />

there is general agreement now that marsupials<br />

<strong>and</strong> placentals are related as crown-group <strong>The</strong>ria,<br />

to the exclusion <strong>of</strong> Monotremata. As well as numerous<br />

cranial <strong>and</strong> dental characters, an increasing<br />

preponderance <strong>of</strong> molecular evidence supports this<br />

view (Killian et al. 2001).<br />

<strong>The</strong> relationship <strong>of</strong> monotremes to the Mesozoic<br />

mammal groups is considerably less clear, <strong>and</strong> the<br />

development <strong>of</strong> views about this problem has had<br />

Crown marsupials<br />

THE MESOZOIC MAMMALS 175<br />

Figure 5.20 Dates <strong>of</strong><br />

occurrences, <strong>and</strong> a possible<br />

phylogeny <strong>of</strong> Cretaceous<br />

Tribosphenida (Modified<br />

from Luo et al. 2003).<br />

an extraordinarily chequered history. At one time it<br />

was believed by almost everyone that monotremes<br />

had a separate origin from pre-mammalian therapsids,<br />

implying convergent evolution <strong>of</strong> their mammalian<br />

characters. <strong>The</strong> discovery <strong>of</strong> the Late<br />

Triassic mammals <strong>of</strong> South Wales quickly altered<br />

that view because similarities were seen between,<br />

on the one h<strong>and</strong> Morganucodon <strong>and</strong> the monotremes,<br />

<strong>and</strong> on the other Kuehneotherium <strong>and</strong> the living<br />

therians. Yet the dental similarities between the two<br />

fossil forms was such that there was no longer any

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