RE: archaic ungulates survive boundary events

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@umd.edu>]

> From: owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu [mailto:owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu] 
> On Behalf Of T. Michael Keesey
>
> > Previously thought to be part of post-acopalypse adaptive 
> radiation, archaics are now known from the late Cretaceous of India!
> 
> Link: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/318/5852/937
> 
> Since "Ungulata" is a polyphyletic group, what does this 
> actually mean? What, exactly, is _Kharmerungulatum_? (I can't 
> access the
> paper.)

Although they do not do a phylogenetic analysis, they place it as closest to
_Protungulatum_. Following Wible et al. (Nature 447:1003-1006,
doi:10.1038/nature05854), this would place it outside of Placentalia proper
(i.e., it would be a non-placentalian eutherian).

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Email: tholtz@umd.edu   Phone: 301-405-4084
Office: Centreville 1216                        
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Dept. of Geology, University of Maryland
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
Fax: 301-314-9661               

Faculty Director, Earth, Life & Time Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite/
Fax: 301-405-0796

Mailing Address:        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Department of Geology
                        Building 237, Room 1117
                        University of Maryland
                        College Park, MD 20742 USA