Durlstotherium
Temporal range: Middle Berriasian 145–140.2 Ma
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Molars of Durlstotherium newmani (A) and Durlstodon ensomi (B)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Clade: Eutheria
Genus: †Durlstotherium
Sweetman et al., 2017
Type species
†Durlstotherium newmani
Sweetman et al., 2017

Durlstotherium is an extinct genus of mammal from the Early Cretaceous. It contains a single species, Durlstotherium newmani. The type specimen was found in Durlston Bay, Dorset, after which the genus was named.[1] D. newmani was named after a British pub landlord, Charlie Newman.[2] Durlstotherium and two of its contemporaries, Tribactonodon and Durlstodon, had tribosphenidan (three-cusped) molars, which are an advanced characteristic among eutherian mammals and suggest that the group emerged earlier than the Early Cretaceous.[1]

Artist's impression of Durlstotherium (right and center) and Durlstodon (left)

References

  1. ^ a b Sweetman, S.C.; Smith, G.; Martill, D.M. (2017). "Highly derived eutherian mammals from the earliest Cretaceous of southern Britain". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 62 (4): 657–665. doi:10.4202/app.00408.2017.
  2. ^ Quach, Katyanna (November 8, 2017). "Our oldest mammalian ancestor named after British pub landlord". The Register.
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