In new research, a team of paleontologists examined the tooth structure of Feredocodon chowi, a new species of shuotheriid mammaliaform that lived in what is now China during the Jurassic period, to gain a better understanding of their phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary paths.
“Our study questions current theories and offers a new viewpoint on the evolutionary history of mammaliaforms,” said Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich, a researcher at Monash University and Museums Victoria.
“We provide vital insights into the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary trajectories of shuotheriids, little known until recent discoveries in China, by explaining the intricate tooth shapes and occlusal patterns.”
Shuotheriids, mammal-like animals from the Jurassic period, have perplexed scientists because of their unique dental characteristics.
These creatures had what are termed pseudotribosphenic teeth, with a pseudotalonid (a basin-like structure) located in front of the trigonid in the lower molars, unlike the tribosphenic pattern seen in current therian mammals where the taloned is located behind the trigonid.
“This unique tooth pattern has hindered our comprehension of shuotheriid relationships and the first steps in the evolution of mammaliaform species,” Professor Vickers-Rich said.
Professor Vickers-Rich and her colleagues examined pseudotribosphenic teeth of a new Jurassic shuotheriid, Feredocodon chowi, represented by two skeletal specimens.
They were able to more fully analyze the dental structures using a variety of analysis, which suggested that shuotheriid dental structures appear to be very similar to those of docodontans.
The study suggests that shuotheriids do not have a genuine trigonid in their bottom teeth, indicating a closer relationship to docodontans than previously thought.
This reassessment of tooth architecture not only resolves unresolved interpretations but also triggers a reconsideration of the evolutionary connections…
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