Re: Cretaceous taeniodont

["K and T Dykes" <ktdykes@arcor.de>]

Hi David

"I think the deltatheridian *Atokatheridium*, which was also in this size
range, is Campanian... *Gobiconodon* was Barremian and existed in NA and
Asia..."

I've got Atokatheridium down as Aptian-Albian.  If I remember correctly
that's probably about right.  It was the oldest 'undisputed' metatherian,
(unless anyone wants to dispute that), prior to the publication of
Sinodelphys from Lioaning.  The time-range of Gobiconodon extends to the
Aptian-Albian in NA and Asia.  A tooth from the Barremian of Spain also
places the family (but not necessarily the genus) in Europe.  It's a
relatively small tooth at that.

"Said to be 1 m in total length; only known from a partial lower jaw; is
either the basalmost monotreme or Mammalia incertae sedis."

Good grief.  I've not heard any suggestion of the possible size of
Kollikodon before.  The only dimension info I've got is that at least some
of the molars are 5.5mm long and 4 - 6mm wide.  That certainly suggests a
big Meso mammal.

"There is a Middle Jurassic mammal that is thought by some to be the
ancestor of multis -- it's called *Eleutherodon*, "free tooth", and that's
what it is, a few isolated teeth free of bone. (Others suspect it's
haramiyidan, which means it has nothing to do with multis at all.)"

Thanks for the translation!  Eleutherodon's from Oxfordshire, as you know.
There's supposed to something similar from the Middle Jurassic of Inner
Mongolia, but it hasn't been described yet.