Vintana
Vintana Temporal range: Maastrichtian
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Life reconstruction of Vintana sertichi. Postcranial reconstruction is hypothetical. | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Family: | †Sudamericidae |
Genus: | †Vintana Krause et. al, 2014 |
Species: | †V. sertichi
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Binomial name | |
†Vintana sertichi Krause et. al, 2014
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Vintana sertichi is an early groundhog-like mammal dating from the Late Cretaceous, approximately 66 million years ago. Scientists found the lone fossil, a skull, on Madagascar's west coast in the Maastrichtian Maevarano Formation.
Vintana is extremely relevant to our understanding of gondwanatheres thanks to the fact that it is the first well preserved skull, as opposed to previous fragments and teeth. Establishing a connection with multituberculates and haramiyidans in the theriiforme clade Allotheria, it is a rather unusual animal, possessing massive lateral flanges in its skull whose exact purpose is poorly understood, as well as massive olefactory bulbs. A rather large animal at a weight of 9 kilograms (20 lb), Vintana also represents another example of a considerably large Mesozoic mammal, alongside forms like Repenomamus and Didelphodon.[1][2][3]
See also
References
- ^ Krause, David W.; Hoffmann, Simone; Wible, John R.; Kirk, E. Christopher; Schultz, Julia A.; von Koenigswald, Wighart; Groenke, Joseph R.; Rossie, James B. (2014-11-05). "First cranial remains of a gondwanatherian mammal reveal remarkable mosaicism". Nature. 515. O'Connor, Patrick M., Seiffert, Erik R., Dumont, Elizabeth R., Holloway, Waymon L., Rogers, Raymond R., Rahantarisoa, Lydia J., Kemp, Addison D., Andriamialison, Haingoson. Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited: 512–517. Bibcode:2014Natur.515..512K. doi:10.1038/nature13922. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 25383528.
- ^ Drake, Nadia (November 5, 2014). "Fossil From Dinosaur Era Reveals Big Mammal With Super Senses". nationalgeographic.com. National Geographic Society. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ Wilford, John Noble (November 5, 2014). "Fossil's Unusual Size and Location Offer Clues in Evolution of Mammals". New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
External links
- Data related to Vintana at Wikispecies
- Cretaceous Madagascar
- Cretaceous mammals of Africa
- Fossils of Madagascar
- Fossil taxa described in 2014
- Maevarano fauna
- Maastrichtian life
- Taxa named by David W. Krause
- Taxa named by Simone Hoffmann
- Taxa named by John R. Wible
- Taxa named by E. Christopher Kirk
- Taxa named by Julia A. Schultz
- Taxa named by Wighart von Koenigswald
- Taxa named by Joseph R. Groenke
- Taxa named by James B. Rossie
- Taxa named by Patrick M. O'Connor (herpetologist)
- Taxa named by Erik R. Seiffert
- Taxa named by Elizabeth R. Dumont
- Taxa named by Waymon L. Holloway
- Taxa named by Raymond R. Rogers
- Taxa named by Lydia J. Rahantarisoa
- Taxa named by Addison D. Kemp
- Taxa named by Haingoson Andriamialison