Zalambdalestes

Zalambdalestes Temporal range: Late Cretaceous PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Zalambdalestes lechei skull and lower jaw, Museum of Evolution Warsaw.
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	incertae sedis
Family:	†Zalambdalestidae
Genus:	†Zalambdalestes Gregory & Simpson, 1926
Species
Z. lechei Gregory & Simpson, 1926 (type)

Zalambdalestes (meaning much-like-lambda robber) is an extinct genus of eutherian mammal known from the Upper Cretaceous in Mongolia.

Zalambdalestes was a hopping animal with a long snout, long teeth, a small brain and large eyes. It was about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long, with a head only 5 centimetres (2 in) long. It had strong front paws and even stronger rear ones, sharing specializations to saltation similar to those of modern rabbits.^[1][2] It was most likely not a placental due to the presence of an epipubic bone,^[3][1]

Its diet was probably composed mainly of insects that it hunted in the forest undergrowth using its sharp, interlocking teeth.^[4] A well-preserved series of cervical vertebrae, including the axis, but not the atlas, seem to suggest vermivory.^[5] Unlike modern placental mammals, Zalambdalestes had an epipubic bone, meaning it was probably restricted reproductively in the same way as modern monotremes and marsupials.^[1]

References

• Parker, Steve. Dinosaurs: the complete guide to dinosaurs. Firefly Books Inc, 2003. Pg. 402

Further reading

• Wible, John R.; Novacek, Michael J.; Rougier, Guillermo W. (2004). "New data on the skull and dentition in the Mongolian Late Cretaceous eutherian mammal Zalambdalestes" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 281: 1–144. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2004)281<0001:NDOTSA>2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/449. S2CID 83491778.

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Eutheria

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Subclass: Theria
Synapsida see Synapsida Cynodontia see Cynodontia Mammalia see Mammalia Eutheria see below↓ Eutheria

Eutheria	†Acristatherium? †Ambolestes? †Bobolestes? †Cokotherium? †Durlstodon †Durlstotherium †Endotherium †Eomaia? †Hovurlestes †Hyotheridium? †Indoclemensia †Juramaia? †Montanalestes? †Murtoilestes? †Prokennalestes? †Sinodelphys? †Adapisoriculidae Adapisoriculus Afrodon Bustylus Deccanolestes? Garatherium Namibiodon Remiculus? Sahnitherium? Wyonycteris? †Asioryctitheria Asioryctes Bulaklestes Daulestes Kennalestes Sasayamamylos Uchkudukodon Ukhaatherium †Cimolestidae Acmeodon Alveugena Ambilestes Avunculus Bagalestes Batodon? Betonnia Chacopterygus Cimolestes Didelphodus Gelastops Ilerdoryctes Maelestes? Paleotomus Procerberus Protentomodon Puercolestes Scollardius †Didymoconidae Archaeoryctes Ardynictis Didymoconus Hunanictis Kennatherium Zeuctherium †Horolodectidae Ferrequitherium Horolodectes †Leptictida Gypsonictops Pseudorhyncocyonidae Diaphyodectes Leptictidium Phakodon Pseudorhyncocyon Leptictidae Amphigyion Blacktops Gallolestes Ictopidium Labes Lainodon Leptictis Leptonysson Megaleptictis Myrmecoboides Ongghonia Palaeictops Praolestes Prodiacodon Protictops Wania †Palaeoryctidae Aaptoryctes Aboletylestes Eoryctes Lainoryctes Naranius Nuryctes Ottoryctes Palaeoryctes Pararyctes Pinoryctes Tsaganius †Pantolesta Paroxyclaenidae Dulcidon Euhookeria Fratrodon Kiinkerishella Kopidodon Merialus Paraspaniella Paroxyclaenus Pugiodens Sororodon Spaniella Vulpavoides Pantolestidae Amaramnis Aphronorus Bessoecetor Bisonalveus Bogdia Bouffinomus Buxolestes Chadronia Coriphagus Cryptopithecus Dyspterna Galethylax Gobipithecus Kochictis Oboia Pagonomus Palaeosinopa Pantolestes Pentacodon Thelysia Todralestes †Taeniodonta Alveugena Onychodectes Schowalteria Conoryctidae Conoryctella Conoryctes Huerfanodon Stylinodontidae Chungchienia Ectoganus Psittacotherium Stylinodon Wortmania †Tillodontia Adapidium Azygonyx Basalina Benaius Dysnoetodon Esthonyx Franchaius Higotherium Interogale Kuanchuanius Lofochaius Megalesthonyx Meiostylodon Plesiesthonyx Plethorodon Simplodon Tillodon Trogosus Yuesthonyx †Zalambdalestidae Alymlestes Anchilestes Barunlestes Beleutinus Kulbeckia Zalambdalestes Zhangolestes Zofialestes †Zhelestidae Alostera? Aspanlestes Avitotherium Azilestes? Borisodon Eoungulatum Eozhelestes Gallolestes Kharmerungulatum Khuduklestes? Lainodon Mistralestes? Oxlestes? Paranyctoides? Parazhelestes Sheikhdzheilia Sorlestes Valentinella? Zhalmousia Zhelestes †Pantodonta see Pantodonta Placentalia Afrotheria Boreoeutheria Xenarthra

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