Yingabalanara is an extinct mammal from the Miocene of Australia. Known only from a few teeth, its affinities with other mammal groups remain unresolved.[1]
Yingabalanara is known from two lower right molar teeth.[2] The chewing surface of the tooth has two overlapping crescent-like cusps (hence the animal's name). Due to the sheer bizarreness of the teeth it's not entirely clear to which normal molar structures these cusps correspond to, being variously interpreted as talonids, trigonids or other cusps. The molars are double-rooted, and possess what appears to be a remnant cingulid.
The overall proportions seem to suggest an animal about the size of a rat, and the tooth morphology is consistent with omnivorous habits. However, for obvious reasons the animal's overall appearance and morphology are unknown.
Etymologyedit
Yingabalanara is a Wanyi word meaning "two moons", in reference to the mammal's crescent-like cusps. The word is masculine in gender, as befitting the status of the predominantly masculine Australian lunar deities. The species name is an homage to Graham Richardson, a "Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and the Arts".[1]
Phylogenyedit
Yingabalanara's molars are exceptionally unusual among mammals, rendering its exact relations as controversial. Its bizarre cusps differ radically from the normal conditions seen in marsupials and placentals (though there are vague similarities to phyllostomidbats), and while slightly similar to the teeth of monotremes and other yinotheres the longer and narrower molars, presence of talonid or trigonid-like cusps and lack of lingual or buccal cingulids still set them well apart. The mammal with the most similar teeth is the CretaceousNorth AmericanPotamotelses,[1] which serves of little indication since it too is of uncertain affinities.[3]
For now, Yingabalanara is included in its own order, Weirdodonta.[2][1]
See alsoedit
Yalkaparidon, a contemporary Australian mammal of also uncertain affinities
Referencesedit
^ abcdArcher M, Every RG, Godthelp H, Hand S, Scally K (1990). "Yingabalanaridae, a new family of enigmatic mammals from Tertiary deposits of Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland". Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 28: 193–202.
^ abJohn A. Long; Michael Archer (2002). Prehistoric Mammals of Australia and New Guinea: One Hundred Million Years of Evolution. UNSW Press.
^Cifelli, Richard L. (1993). "Early Cretaceous mammal from North America and the evolution of marsupial dental characters". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 90 (20): 9413–9416. Bibcode:1993PNAS...90.9413C. doi:10.1073/pnas.90.20.9413. PMC47578. PMID 8415715.
April 10, 2024
yingabalanara, extinct, mammal, from, miocene, australia, known, only, from, teeth, affinities, with, other, mammal, groups, remain, unresolved, temporal, range, preꞒ, miocenescientific, classificationkingdom, animaliaphylum, chordataclass, mammaliainfraclass,. Yingabalanara is an extinct mammal from the Miocene of Australia Known only from a few teeth its affinities with other mammal groups remain unresolved 1 YingabalanaraTemporal range 20 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N MioceneScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaInfraclass TribosphenidaOrder WeirdodontaArcher 1990Family YingabalanaridaeArcher 1990Genus YingabalanaraArcher 1990Paleospecies Yingabalanara richardsoni Contents 1 Description 2 Etymology 3 Phylogeny 4 See also 5 ReferencesDescription editYingabalanara is known from two lower right molar teeth 2 The chewing surface of the tooth has two overlapping crescent like cusps hence the animal s name Due to the sheer bizarreness of the teeth it s not entirely clear to which normal molar structures these cusps correspond to being variously interpreted as talonids trigonids or other cusps The molars are double rooted and possess what appears to be a remnant cingulid The overall proportions seem to suggest an animal about the size of a rat and the tooth morphology is consistent with omnivorous habits However for obvious reasons the animal s overall appearance and morphology are unknown Etymology editYingabalanara is a Wanyi word meaning two moons in reference to the mammal s crescent like cusps The word is masculine in gender as befitting the status of the predominantly masculine Australian lunar deities The species name is an homage to Graham Richardson a Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and the Arts 1 Phylogeny editYingabalanara s molars are exceptionally unusual among mammals rendering its exact relations as controversial Its bizarre cusps differ radically from the normal conditions seen in marsupials and placentals though there are vague similarities to phyllostomid bats and while slightly similar to the teeth of monotremes and other yinotheres the longer and narrower molars presence of talonid or trigonid like cusps and lack of lingual or buccal cingulids still set them well apart The mammal with the most similar teeth is the Cretaceous North American Potamotelses 1 which serves of little indication since it too is of uncertain affinities 3 For now Yingabalanara is included in its own order Weirdodonta 2 1 See also editYalkaparidon a contemporary Australian mammal of also uncertain affinitiesReferences edit a b c d Archer M Every RG Godthelp H Hand S Scally K 1990 Yingabalanaridae a new family of enigmatic mammals from Tertiary deposits of Riversleigh northwestern Queensland Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 28 193 202 a b John A Long Michael Archer 2002 Prehistoric Mammals of Australia and New Guinea One Hundred Million Years of Evolution UNSW Press Cifelli Richard L 1993 Early Cretaceous mammal from North America and the evolution of marsupial dental characters Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 90 20 9413 9416 Bibcode 1993PNAS 90 9413C doi 10 1073 pnas 90 20 9413 PMC 47578 PMID 8415715 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yingabalanara amp oldid 1158226164, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
