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

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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.

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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

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MorphoBank Project 4925

Creation Date:
24 October 2023
Publication Date:
10 January 2024
Media downloads: 1
Matrix downloads: 13

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 Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	303	113	112	0	0	0	0	1
[2] Peramus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	292	127	123	0	0	0	0	1
[3] Vincelestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	42	374	373	0	0	0	0	1
[4] Kielantherium Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	339	78	76	0	0	0	0	1
[5] Deltatheridium Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	152	265	263	0	0	0	0	1
[6] Mayulestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	74	341	341	0	0	0	0	1
[7] Pucadelphys Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	44	371	371	0	0	0	0	1
[8] Acristatherium Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	237	180	178	0	0	0	0	1
[9] Eomaia Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	231	186	184	0	0	0	0	1
[10] Prokennalestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	227	194	188	0	0	0	0	1
[11] Murtoilestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	356	59	59	0	0	0	0	1
[12] Bobolestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	307	110	108	0	0	0	0	1
[13] Montanalestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	345	76	70	0	0	0	0	1
[14] Sheikhdzheilia Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	344	74	71	0	0	0	0	1
[15] Alostera Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	357	58	58	0	0	0	0	1
[16] Lainodon Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	392	23	23	0	0	0	0	1
[17] Avitotherium Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	345	72	70	0	0	0	0	1
[18] Gallolestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	372	44	43	0	0	0	0	1
[19] Parazhelestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	262	157	153	0	0	0	0	1
[20] Aspanlestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	267	154	148	0	0	0	0	1
[21] Zhelestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	238	184	177	0	0	0	0	1
[22] Paranyctoides Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	308	113	107	0	0	0	0	1
[23] Eozhelestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	374	43	41	0	0	0	0	1
[24] Cimolestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	250	174	165	0	0	0	0	1
[25] Maelestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	102	322	313	0	0	0	0	1
[26] Batodon Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	312	105	103	0	0	0	0	1
[27] Bulaklestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	316	101	99	0	0	0	0	1
[28] Daulestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	318	100	97	0	0	0	0	1
[29] Uchkudukodon Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	167	258	248	0	0	0	0	1
[30] Kennalestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	119	299	296	0	0	0	0	1
[31] Asioryctes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	82	336	333	0	0	0	0	1
[32] Ukhaatherium Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	66	351	349	0	0	0	0	1
[33] Deccanolestes hislopi Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	269	155	146	0	0	0	0	1
[34] Deccanolestes cf hislopi Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	350	73	65	0	0	0	0	1
[35] Deccanolestes robustus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	353	63	62	0	0	0	0	1
[36] Deccanolestes narmadensis Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	391	29	24	0	0	0	0	1
[37] Kharmerungulatum Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	402	13	13	0	0	0	0	1
[38] Afrodon germanicus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	314	104	101	0	0	0	0	1
[39] Afrodon chleuhi Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	349	75	66	0	0	0	0	1
[40] Kulbeckia Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	222	202	193	0	0	0	0	1
[41] Zhangolestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	364	52	51	0	0	0	0	1
[42] Alymlestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	394	21	21	0	0	0	0	1
[43] Zalambdalestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	49	378	366	0	0	0	0	1
[44] Barunlestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	134	283	281	0	0	0	0	1
[45] Gypsonictops Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	289	135	126	0	0	0	0	1
[46] Leptictis Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	21	395	394	0	0	0	0	1
[47] Purgatorius Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	285	133	130	0	0	0	0	1
[48] Protungulatum Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	204	219	211	0	0	0	0	1
[49] Oxyprimus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	319	99	96	0	0	0	0	1
[50] Vulpavus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	86	343	329	0	0	0	0	1
[51] Miacis Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	132	291	283	0	0	0	0	1
[52] Gujaratia Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	92	326	323	0	0	0	0	1
[53] Hyopsodus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	43	382	372	0	0	0	0	1
[54] Meniscotherium Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	40	380	375	0	0	0	0	1
[55] Phenacodus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	61	363	354	0	0	0	0	1
[56] Ptilocercus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	13	404	402	0	0	0	0	1
[57] Plesiadapis Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	29	386	369	0	17	0	0	1
[58] Notharctus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	41	382	374	0	0	0	0	1
[59] Adapis Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	66	359	349	0	0	0	0	1
[60] Tribosphenomys Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	266	149	149	0	0	0	0	1
[61] Paramys Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	69	351	346	0	0	0	0	1
[62] Rhombomylus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	61	361	354	0	0	0	0	1
[63] Gomphos Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	141	276	274	0	0	0	0	1
[64] Mimotona Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	293	126	122	0	0	0	0	1
[65] Blarina Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	49	373	366	0	0	0	0	1
[66] Erinaceus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	23	402	392	0	0	0	0	1
[67] Solenodon Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	36	380	379	0	0	0	0	1
[68] Eoryctes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	212	208	203	0	0	0	0	1
[69] Potamogale Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	33	382	382	0	0	0	0	1
[70] Orycteropus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	138	284	277	0	0	0	0	1
[71] Rhynchocyon Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	40	377	375	0	0	0	0	1
[72] Procavia Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	31	391	384	0	0	0	0	1
[73] Moeritherium Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	149	268	266	0	0	0	0	1
[74] Chaetophractus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	133	282	282	0	0	0	0	1
[75] Bradypus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	134	284	281	0	0	0	0	1
[76] Tamandua Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	163	254	252	0	0	0	0	1
[77] Dilambdogale Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	312	107	103	0	0	0	0	1
[78] Widanelfarasia Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	293	123	122	0	0	0	0	1
[79] Todralestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	292	127	123	0	0	0	0	1
[80] Microgale Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	36	383	379	0	0	0	0	1
[81] Foxomomys Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	301	117	114	0	0	0	0	1
[82] Dryomomys szalayi Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	160	255	255	0	0	0	0	1
[83] Tinimomys graybulliensis Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	174	244	241	0	0	0	0	1
[84] Carpolestes Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	89	328	326	0	0	0	0	1
[85] Ignacius Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	83	332	332	0	0	0	0	1
[86] Cynocephalus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	26	391	388	0	1	0	0	1
[87] Plagioctenodon rosei Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	136	285	279	0	0	0	0	1
[88] Leptacodon tener Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	312	105	103	0	0	0	0	1
[89] Plagioctenodon thewisseni Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	216	201	199	0	0	0	0	1
[90] Adunator minutus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	307	108	108	0	0	0	0	1
[91] Macrocranion junnei Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	326	90	89	0	0	0	0	1
[92] Macrocranion nitens Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	278	139	137	0	0	0	0	1
[93] Microsyops annectens Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	148	259	258	0	9	0	0	1
[94] Zanycteris paleocenus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	300	116	112	0	3	0	0	1
[95] Picrodus calgariensis Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	285	121	119	0	11	0	0	1
[96] Draconodus apertus Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	374	40	40	0	1	0	0	1
[97] Labidolemur kayi Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	130	271	268	0	17	0	0	1
[98] Plesiolestes nacimienti Taxon name last Modified on 10/27/23	291	121	121	0	3	0	0	1

Project downloads

type	number of downloads	Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
Total downloads from project	17
Matrix downloads	13	Crowell et al Zanycteris matrix (13 downloads);
Document downloads	1	Characters and states (1 download);
Project downloads	2
Media downloads	1	M898585 (1 download);