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A Chinese triconodont mammal and mosaic evolution of the mammalian skeleton

Nature volume 398, pages 326–330 (1999)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 23 December 1999

Abstract

Here we describe a new triconodont mammal from the Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous period of Liaoning, China. This new mammal is represented by the best-preserved skeleton known so far for triconodonts which form one of the earliest Mesozoic mammalian groups with high diversity. The postcranial skeleton of this new triconodont shows a mosaic of characters, including a primitive pelvic girdle and hindlimb but a very derived pectoral girdle that is closely comparable to those of derived therians. Given the basal position of this taxon in mammalian phylogeny, its derived pectoral girdle indicates that homoplasies (similarities resulting from independent evolution among unrelated lineages) are as common in the postcranial skeleton as they are in the skull and dentition in the evolution of Mesozoic mammals. Limb structures of the new triconodont indicate that it was probably a ground-dwelling animal.

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Figure 1: Jeholodens jenkinsi (National Geological Museum of China, holotype GMV 2139a).
Figure 2: Dentition and mandible of J.jenkinsi.
Figure 3: Mosaic evolution of the scapular characters in non-mammalian cynodonts and major mammalian clades.
Figure 4: Pedes of mammals and outgroup cynodonts.
Figure 5: Evolutionary relationships of J. jenkinsi, gen. et sp. nov.

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Acknowledgements

We thank K. C. Beard, R. L. Cifelli, W. A. Clemens, A. W. Crompton, M. R. Dawson, J. A. Hopson, F. A. Jenkins, Z. Kielan-Jaworowska, J. Meng, T. Rowe, D. Sigogneau-Russell, J. R. Wible and X.-c. Wu for discussions and for reviews of the manuscript; A. Henrici for preparation of the specimen; M.Klingler for preparing Fig. 1; and N. Wuethele for assistance. This research was supported by funding from the Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources of China and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (to J.Q.), and the US National Science Foundation, the National Geographic Society, and the M. Graham Netting Fund of the Carnegie Museum (to Z.L.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Geological Museum of China , 100034, Beijing, China

    Ji Qiang & Ji Shu-an

  2. China University of Geosciences, 100083, Beijing, China

    Ji Qiang

  3. Section of Vertebrate Paleontology, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, 15213-4080, Pennsylvania , USA

    Luo Zhexi

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  1. Ji Qiang
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Correspondence to Luo Zhexi.

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Qiang, J., Zhexi, L. & Shu-an, J. A Chinese triconodont mammal and mosaic evolution of the mammalian skeleton . Nature 398, 326–330 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/18665

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