Project 929: R. M. Beck, K. J. Travouillon, K. P. Aplin, H. Godthelp, M. Archer. 2014. The Osteology and Systematics of the Enigmatic Australian Oligo-Miocene Metatherian Yalkaparidon (Yalkaparidontidae; Yalkaparidontia; ?Australidelphia; Marsupialia). Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 21 (2):127-172.
Specimen: † Yalkaparidon (QM:F13008)

Abstract

We provide the first detailed description of the osteology of the enigmatic Oligo-Miocene Australian metatherian Yalkaparidon. This taxon exhibits a number of unusual craniodental apomorphies but appears to be plesiomorphic within Metatheria in retaining four molars, rather than three as previously reported. We demonstrate that the only known skull of Yalkaparidon almost certainly represents a single individual. We also tentatively refer a number of isolated tarsals to the genus. Maximum parsimony analyses of a 258 character morphological matrix (with information from the tarsals described here either included or excluded) place Yalkaparidon within the superordinal clade Australidelphia, but Bayesian analyses of the same matrix are less well resolved, placing Yalkaparidon within Marsupialia but without unequivocally supporting australidelphian affinities. Bayesian analyses of a total evidence matrix that combines the morphological data with 9 kb of sequence data from five nuclear protein-coding genes (APOB, BRCA1, IRBP, RAG1 and VWF), 78 indels, and 53 retroposon insertion characters are similarly poorly resolved and do not clarify the supraordinal relationships of Yalkaparidon beyond suggesting that it is probably a member of Marsupialia. However, if the tarsal remains are correctly attributed to Yalkaparidon, then membership of Australidelphia seems likely, as these specimens exhibit characteristic australidelphian apomorphies. We conclude that the ordinal status of Yalkaparidon remains justified based on current evidence, and we present a revised diagnosis for Yalkaparidontia. We maintain the two currently recognized species, Y. coheni and Y. jonesi, but present revised specific diagnoses. We suggest a revised phylogenetic definition for Marsupialia, and provide phylogenetic definitions for Eomarsupialia (the clade comprising all extant Australian marsupial orders) and for the clade comprising Dasyuromorphia, Peramelemorphia, and Notoryctemorphia to the exclusion of Diprotodontia; we propose the name Agreodontia for the latter clade.


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Article DOI: 10.1007/s10914-013-9236-3

Project DOI: 10.7934/P929, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P929
This project containsMatrices
  • 1 Media
  • 2 Matrices
  • 1 Document
  • 38 Taxa
  • 1 Specimen
  • 258 Characters
Total size of project's media files: 491.16k

Download Project SDD File
Total scored cells: 15328
Total media associated with cells: 0
Total labels associated with cell media: 0
Characters
Total characters: 516
Total characters with associated media: 0
Total characters with media with labels: 0
Total character states: 598
Total character states with associated media: 0
Total character states with media with labels:0
Total unordered/ordered characters:516/0
Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 929
  • Creation Date:
    11 April 2013
  • Publication Date:
    14 November 2013
  • Matrix downloads: 55

    This research
    supported by

    Authors' Institutions

    • National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

    • University of Queensland

    • American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)

    • University of New South Wales



    Members

    member name taxa specimens media chars character
    media
    labels
    cell scorings
    (scored, NPA, "-")
    cell
    medialabels
    rules
    Robin Beck
    Project Administrator
    38015160015328
    (14999, 0, 329)
    000
    Maureen Admin
    Full membership
    0000000
    (0, 0, 0)
    000
    MorphoBank Curator
    Full membership
    0100000
    (0, 0, 0)
    000


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M2051' (38 Taxa)

    taxon unscored
    cells
    scored
    cells
    no cell
    support
    NPA
    cells
    "-" cellscell images labels on
    cell images
    member
    access
    [1] Ornithorhynchus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    27210208023003
    [2] Tachyglossus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    22215213023003
    [3] † Vincelestes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    7917217108003
    [4] † Ukhaatherium
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    159989801003
    [5] † Asioryctes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    14611111101003
    [6] † Deltatheridium
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    175787805003
    [7] † Mayulestes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    8317417401003
    [8] † Pucadelphys
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    5520620201003
    [9] † Andinodelphys
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    7318518401003
    [10] Didelphis
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    226525402003
    [11] Monodelphis
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    326125302003
    [12] Caluromys
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    10715215001003
    [13] Glironia
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    10015815701003
    [14] Caenolestes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1024924503003
    [15] Dasyuroides
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1224824204003
    [16] Dasyurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    826224901003
    [17] Phascogale
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1524524201003
    [18] Notoryctes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    43208205010003
    [19] Echymipera
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    924824504003
    [20] Perameles
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    425525004003
    [21] Dromiciops
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    725224902003
    [22] Trichosurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    325825203003
    [23] Phalanger
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    825224604003
    [24] Petaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    125525205003
    [25] Pseudochirops
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    525024904003
    [26] Cercartetus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    2323123104003
    [27] Macropus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    325625104003
    [28] Dendrolagus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1124524205003
    [29] Dorcopsis
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1524023904003
    [30] Thylogale
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    2123423304003
    [31] Vombatus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    824724109003
    [32] Phascolarctos
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    924224207003
    [33] † Asiatherium
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    208515000003
    [34] † Herpetotherium
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    10515215201003
    [35] † Peradectidae
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    188707000003
    [36] † Djarthia
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    172898402003
    [37] † Palaeothentes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    176808002003
    [38] † Yalkaparidon
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    178787307003


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M2052' (38 Taxa)

    taxon unscored
    cells
    scored
    cells
    no cell
    support
    NPA
    cells
    "-" cellscell images labels on
    cell images
    member
    access
    [1] Ornithorhynchus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    27210208023003
    [2] Tachyglossus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    22215213023003
    [3] † Vincelestes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    7917217108003
    [4] † Ukhaatherium
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    159989801003
    [5] † Asioryctes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    14611111101003
    [6] † Deltatheridium
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    175787805003
    [7] † Mayulestes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    8317417401003
    [8] † Pucadelphys
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    5520620201003
    [9] † Andinodelphys
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    7318518401003
    [10] Didelphis
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    226525402003
    [11] Monodelphis
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    326125302003
    [12] Caluromys
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    10715215001003
    [13] Glironia
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    10015815701003
    [14] Caenolestes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1024924503003
    [15] Dasyuroides
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1224824204003
    [16] Dasyurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    826224901003
    [17] Phascogale
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1524524201003
    [18] Notoryctes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    43208205010003
    [19] Echymipera
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    924824504003
    [20] Perameles
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    425525004003
    [21] Dromiciops
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    725224902003
    [22] Trichosurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    325825203003
    [23] Phalanger
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    825224604003
    [24] Petaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    125525205003
    [25] Pseudochirops
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    525024904003
    [26] Cercartetus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    2323123104003
    [27] Macropus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    325625104003
    [28] Dendrolagus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1124524205003
    [29] Dorcopsis
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    1524023904003
    [30] Thylogale
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    2123423304003
    [31] Vombatus
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    824724109003
    [32] Phascolarctos
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    924224207003
    [33] † Asiatherium
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    208515000003
    [34] † Herpetotherium
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    10515215201003
    [35] † Peradectidae
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    188707000003
    [36] † Djarthia
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    172898402003
    [37] † Palaeothentes
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    176808002003
    [38] † Yalkaparidon
    Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13
    14511310508003


    Project downloads

    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project360
    Matrix downloads55Yalkaparidon matrix - Yalkaparidon scored for craniodental and tarsal characters (31 downloads); Yalkaparidon matrix - Yalkaparidon scored for craniodental characters only (24 downloads);
    Project downloads305