摘要
We report new material of the zalambdalestid,Zhangolestes jilinensis,from the Quantou Formation(lower Upper Cretaceous,Cenomanian to Turonian),Gongzhuling City,Jilin Province,NE China.Using micro-CT-scan,the material is shown to include dentocranial and postcranial elements recovered from the same matrix block containing the holotype specimen.The CT-images also show the labial and internal structures of the holotype fragment of the lower jaw of Z.jilinensis.Based on the preservation,relative size,and tooth wear,the new material and the holotype lower jaw likely belong to the same individual animal,whereas the hypodigm mandibular fragment assigned to Z.jilinensis in the original study is thought now to belong to a different individual,potentially representing a different species,which,if true,would increase the eutherian diversity in the Late Cretaceous Changchunsaurus Fauna.Furthermore,the new CT-images show that the incisor morphology is diverse within zalambdalestids and probably evolved independently from the enlarged incisors in placental mammals,such as Glires.
基金
supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42122010,42072017)
the Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS(Y2023017)
the National Mineral Rock and Fossil Specimens Resource Center(NCSTI-RMF20240203)
China Geological Survey(DD20230221)。
作者简介
Corresponding authors:MAO Fangyuan,female,born in 1984,Professor of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,China.Dr.Mao mainly focuses on Mesozoic mammalian diversity and the evolution of key mammalian characters.E-mail:maofangyuan@ivpp.ac.cn;Corresponding authors:MENG Jin,male,born in 1956,Professor of the Richard Gilder Graduate School and Curator-in-Charge of Fossil Mammals,Division of Paleontology,American Museum of Natural History.Dr.Meng is a leading authority on the evolution of early mammals,and his research has significantly advanced the understanding of the origin and early diversification of mammals.E-mail:jmeng@amnh.org.
