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Nearly complete skeleton of Tetraclaenodon (Mammalia, Phenacodontidae) from the early Paleocene of New Mexico: morpho-functional analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2016

Peter E. Kondrashov  and
Spencer G. Lucas
Peter E. Kondrashov
Affiliation:
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, 800 W. Jefferson St., Kirksville, Missouri 63501, USA,
Spencer G. Lucas
Affiliation:
New Mexico Museum of Natural History, 1801 Mountain Road, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104, USA,
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Abstract

We describe the relatively complete skeleton of Tetraclaenodon undoubtedly associated with its dentition, from the Torrejonian interval of the Nacimiento Formation in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Tetraclaenodon is the most primitive and oldest genus of the family Phenacodontidae and is very important for assessing the phylogenetic relationships of the family. The newly described skeleton belonged to a lightly built terrestrial mammal that could use trees for shelter. The structure of the ulna, manus, femur, crus, and pes corresponds to that of a typical terrestrial mammal, while morphological features such as the low greater tubercle of the humerus, long deltopectoral crest, pronounced lateral supracondylar crest, and hemispherical capitulum indicate some scansorial adaptations of Tetraclaenodon. The postcranial skeleton of Tetraclaenodon does not exhibit the cursorial adaptations seen in later phenacodontids and early perissodactyls. Phylogenetic analysis did not recover monophyletic “Phenacodontidae”; instead, phenacodontids formed a series of sister taxa to the Altungulata clade. Tetraclaenodon is the basal-most member of the “Phenacodontidae” + Altungulata clade.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 86 , Issue 1 , January 2012 , pp. 25 - 43
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

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