Morphobank

Project 4925: J. W. Crowell, J. R. Wible, S. G. Chester. 2024. Basicranial evidence suggests picrodontid mammals are not stem primates. Biology Letters. 20 (1):null.

Specimen: Zanycteris paleocenus (AMNH:17180)
View: Dorsal (left) and ventral (right) views

More images »

Abstract

The Picrodontidae from the middle Paleocene of North America are enigmatic placental mammals that were allied with various mammalian groups but are generally now considered to have close affinities to paromomyid and palaechthonid plesiadapiforms based on proposed dental synapomorphies. The picrodontid fossil record consists entirely of dental and gnathic remains except for one partial cranium of Zanycteris paleocenus (AMNH 17180). Here, we utilize µCT technology to unveil previously undocumented morphology in AMNH 17180, describe and compare the basicranial morphology of a picrodontid for the first time, and incorporate these new data into cladistic analyses. The basicranial morphology of Z. paleocenus is distinct from plesiadapiforms and shares similarities with the Paleogene Nyctitheriidae and Apatemyidae. Results of cladistic analyses incorporating these novel data suggest picrodontids are not stem primates nor euarchontan mammals and that the proposed dental synapomorphies uniting picrodontids with other plesiadapiforms and, by extension, primates evolved independently. Results highlight the need to scrutinize proposed synapomorphies of highly autapomorphic taxa with limited fossil records.

Read the article »

Article DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0335

Project DOI: 10.7934/P4925, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P4925

This project contains	Matrices
1 Media 1 Matrix 98 Taxa 1 Specimen 415 Characters Total size of project's media files: 4.1M Download Project SDD File	Total scored cells: 20960 Total media associated with cells: 0 Total labels associated with cell media: 0
	Characters
	Total characters: 415 Total characters with associated media: 0 Total characters with media with labels: 0 Total character states: 1038 Total character states with associated media: 0 Total character states with media with labels:0 Total unordered/ordered characters:415/0

Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 4925

Creation Date:
24 October 2023
Publication Date:
10 January 2024
Project views: 1450
Matrix downloads: 6

This research
supported by

Authors' Institutions

Brooklyn College - CUNY

Carnegie Museum of Natural History

New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology

The Graduate Center, CUNY

Members

Jordan Crowell
Project Administrator

415

20960
(20898, 0, 62)

Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M29520' (98 Taxa)

taxon	unscored cells	scored cells	no cell support	NPA cells	"-" cells	cell images	labels on cell images	member access
[1] Nanolestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	303	113	112	0	0	0	0	1
[2] Peramus Last Modified in 10/27/23	292	127	123	0	0	0	0	1
[3] Vincelestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	42	374	373	0	0	0	0	1
[4] Kielantherium Last Modified in 10/27/23	339	78	76	0	0	0	0	1
[5] Deltatheridium Last Modified in 10/27/23	152	265	263	0	0	0	0	1
[6] Mayulestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	74	341	341	0	0	0	0	1
[7] Pucadelphys Last Modified in 10/27/23	44	371	371	0	0	0	0	1
[8] Acristatherium Last Modified in 10/27/23	237	180	178	0	0	0	0	1
[9] Eomaia Last Modified in 10/27/23	231	186	184	0	0	0	0	1
[10] Prokennalestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	227	194	188	0	0	0	0	1
[11] Murtoilestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	356	59	59	0	0	0	0	1
[12] Bobolestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	307	110	108	0	0	0	0	1
[13] Montanalestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	345	76	70	0	0	0	0	1
[14] Sheikhdzheilia Last Modified in 10/27/23	344	74	71	0	0	0	0	1
[15] Alostera Last Modified in 10/27/23	357	58	58	0	0	0	0	1
[16] Lainodon Last Modified in 10/27/23	392	23	23	0	0	0	0	1
[17] Avitotherium Last Modified in 10/27/23	345	72	70	0	0	0	0	1
[18] Gallolestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	372	44	43	0	0	0	0	1
[19] Parazhelestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	262	157	153	0	0	0	0	1
[20] Aspanlestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	267	154	148	0	0	0	0	1
[21] Zhelestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	238	184	177	0	0	0	0	1
[22] Paranyctoides Last Modified in 10/27/23	308	113	107	0	0	0	0	1
[23] Eozhelestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	374	43	41	0	0	0	0	1
[24] Cimolestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	250	174	165	0	0	0	0	1
[25] Maelestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	102	322	313	0	0	0	0	1
[26] Batodon Last Modified in 10/27/23	312	105	103	0	0	0	0	1
[27] Bulaklestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	316	101	99	0	0	0	0	1
[28] Daulestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	318	100	97	0	0	0	0	1
[29] Uchkudukodon Last Modified in 10/27/23	167	258	248	0	0	0	0	1
[30] Kennalestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	119	299	296	0	0	0	0	1
[31] Asioryctes Last Modified in 10/27/23	82	336	333	0	0	0	0	1
[32] Ukhaatherium Last Modified in 10/27/23	66	351	349	0	0	0	0	1
[33] Deccanolestes hislopi Last Modified in 10/27/23	269	155	146	0	0	0	0	1
[34] Deccanolestes cf hislopi Last Modified in 10/27/23	350	73	65	0	0	0	0	1
[35] Deccanolestes robustus Last Modified in 10/27/23	353	63	62	0	0	0	0	1
[36] Deccanolestes narmadensis Last Modified in 10/27/23	391	29	24	0	0	0	0	1
[37] Kharmerungulatum Last Modified in 10/27/23	402	13	13	0	0	0	0	1
[38] Afrodon germanicus Last Modified in 10/27/23	314	104	101	0	0	0	0	1
[39] Afrodon chleuhi Last Modified in 10/27/23	349	75	66	0	0	0	0	1
[40] Kulbeckia Last Modified in 10/27/23	222	202	193	0	0	0	0	1
[41] Zhangolestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	364	52	51	0	0	0	0	1
[42] Alymlestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	394	21	21	0	0	0	0	1
[43] Zalambdalestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	49	378	366	0	0	0	0	1
[44] Barunlestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	134	283	281	0	0	0	0	1
[45] Gypsonictops Last Modified in 10/27/23	289	135	126	0	0	0	0	1
[46] Leptictis Last Modified in 10/27/23	21	395	394	0	0	0	0	1
[47] Purgatorius Last Modified in 10/27/23	285	133	130	0	0	0	0	1
[48] Protungulatum Last Modified in 10/27/23	204	219	211	0	0	0	0	1
[49] Oxyprimus Last Modified in 10/27/23	319	99	96	0	0	0	0	1
[50] Vulpavus Last Modified in 10/27/23	86	343	329	0	0	0	0	1
[51] Miacis Last Modified in 10/27/23	132	291	283	0	0	0	0	1
[52] Gujaratia Last Modified in 10/27/23	92	326	323	0	0	0	0	1
[53] Hyopsodus Last Modified in 10/27/23	43	382	372	0	0	0	0	1
[54] Meniscotherium Last Modified in 10/27/23	40	380	375	0	0	0	0	1
[55] Phenacodus Last Modified in 10/27/23	61	363	354	0	0	0	0	1
[56] Ptilocercus Last Modified in 10/27/23	13	404	402	0	0	0	0	1
[57] Plesiadapis Last Modified in 10/27/23	29	386	369	0	17	0	0	1
[58] Notharctus Last Modified in 10/27/23	41	382	374	0	0	0	0	1
[59] Adapis Last Modified in 10/27/23	66	359	349	0	0	0	0	1
[60] Tribosphenomys Last Modified in 10/27/23	266	149	149	0	0	0	0	1
[61] Paramys Last Modified in 10/27/23	69	351	346	0	0	0	0	1
[62] Rhombomylus Last Modified in 10/27/23	61	361	354	0	0	0	0	1
[63] Gomphos Last Modified in 10/27/23	141	276	274	0	0	0	0	1
[64] Mimotona Last Modified in 10/27/23	293	126	122	0	0	0	0	1
[65] Blarina Last Modified in 10/27/23	49	373	366	0	0	0	0	1
[66] Erinaceus Last Modified in 10/27/23	23	402	392	0	0	0	0	1
[67] Solenodon Last Modified in 10/27/23	36	380	379	0	0	0	0	1
[68] Eoryctes Last Modified in 10/27/23	212	208	203	0	0	0	0	1
[69] Potamogale Last Modified in 10/27/23	33	382	382	0	0	0	0	1
[70] Orycteropus Last Modified in 10/27/23	138	284	277	0	0	0	0	1
[71] Rhynchocyon Last Modified in 10/27/23	40	377	375	0	0	0	0	1
[72] Procavia Last Modified in 10/27/23	31	391	384	0	0	0	0	1
[73] Moeritherium Last Modified in 10/27/23	149	268	266	0	0	0	0	1
[74] Chaetophractus Last Modified in 10/27/23	133	282	282	0	0	0	0	1
[75] Bradypus Last Modified in 10/27/23	134	284	281	0	0	0	0	1
[76] Tamandua Last Modified in 10/27/23	163	254	252	0	0	0	0	1
[77] Dilambdogale Last Modified in 10/27/23	312	107	103	0	0	0	0	1
[78] Widanelfarasia Last Modified in 10/27/23	293	123	122	0	0	0	0	1
[79] Todralestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	292	127	123	0	0	0	0	1
[80] Microgale Last Modified in 10/27/23	36	383	379	0	0	0	0	1
[81] Foxomomys Last Modified in 10/27/23	301	117	114	0	0	0	0	1
[82] Dryomomys szalayi Last Modified in 10/27/23	160	255	255	0	0	0	0	1
[83] Tinimomys graybulliensis Last Modified in 10/27/23	174	244	241	0	0	0	0	1
[84] Carpolestes Last Modified in 10/27/23	89	328	326	0	0	0	0	1
[85] Ignacius Last Modified in 10/27/23	83	332	332	0	0	0	0	1
[86] Cynocephalus Last Modified in 10/27/23	26	391	388	0	1	0	0	1
[87] Plagioctenodon rosei Last Modified in 10/27/23	136	285	279	0	0	0	0	1
[88] Leptacodon tener Last Modified in 10/27/23	312	105	103	0	0	0	0	1
[89] Plagioctenodon thewisseni Last Modified in 10/27/23	216	201	199	0	0	0	0	1
[90] Adunator minutus Last Modified in 10/27/23	307	108	108	0	0	0	0	1
[91] Macrocranion junnei Last Modified in 10/27/23	326	90	89	0	0	0	0	1
[92] Macrocranion nitens Last Modified in 10/27/23	278	139	137	0	0	0	0	1
[93] Microsyops annectens Last Modified in 10/27/23	148	259	258	0	9	0	0	1
[94] Zanycteris paleocenus Last Modified in 10/27/23	300	116	112	0	3	0	0	1
[95] Picrodus calgariensis Last Modified in 10/27/23	285	121	119	0	11	0	0	1
[96] Draconodus apertus Last Modified in 10/27/23	374	40	40	0	1	0	0	1
[97] Labidolemur kayi Last Modified in 10/27/23	130	271	268	0	17	0	0	1
[98] Plesiolestes nacimienti Last Modified in 10/27/23	291	121	121	0	3	0	0	1

Project views

type	number of views	Individual items viewed (where applicable)
Total project views	1450
Project overview	116
Media views	251	Media search (214 views); M898585 (37 views);
Matrix views	74	Matrix landing page (66 views); Crowell et al Zanycteris matrix (8 views);
Views for media list	78
Taxon list	771
Bibliography	43
Specimen list	117

Project downloads

type	number of downloads	Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
Total downloads from project	6
Matrix downloads	6	Crowell et al Zanycteris matrix (6 downloads);