Skeleton of a Cretaceous mammal from Madagascar reflects long-term insularity

David W. Krause (), Simone Hoffmann, Yaoming Hu, John R. Wible, Guillermo W. Rougier, E. Christopher Kirk, Joseph R. Groenke, Raymond R. Rogers, James B. Rossie, Julia A. Schultz, Alistair R. Evans, Wighart Koenigswald and Lydia J. Rahantarisoa
Additional contact information
David W. Krause: Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Simone Hoffmann: New York Institute of Technology
Yaoming Hu: Stony Brook University
John R. Wible: Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Guillermo W. Rougier: University of Louisville
E. Christopher Kirk: University of Texas at Austin
Joseph R. Groenke: Stony Brook University
Raymond R. Rogers: Macalester College
James B. Rossie: Stony Brook University
Julia A. Schultz: Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Bonn
Alistair R. Evans: Monash University
Wighart Koenigswald: Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Bonn
Lydia J. Rahantarisoa: Département de Sciences de la Terre et de l’Environnement, Université d’Antananarivo

Nature, 2020, vol. 581, issue 7809, 421-427

Abstract: Abstract The fossil record of mammaliaforms (mammals and their closest relatives) of the Mesozoic era from the southern supercontinent Gondwana is far less extensive than that from its northern counterpart, Laurasia1,2. Among Mesozoic mammaliaforms, Gondwanatheria is one of the most poorly known clades, previously represented by only a single cranium and isolated jaws and teeth1–5. As a result, the anatomy, palaeobiology and phylogenetic relationships of gondwanatherians remain unclear. Here we report the discovery of an articulated and very well-preserved skeleton of a gondwanatherian of the latest age (72.1–66 million years ago) of the Cretaceous period from Madagascar that we assign to a new genus and species, Adalatherium hui. To our knowledge, the specimen is the most complete skeleton of a Gondwanan Mesozoic mammaliaform that has been found, and includes the only postcranial material and ascending ramus of the dentary known for any gondwanatherian. A phylogenetic analysis including the new taxon recovers Gondwanatheria as the sister group to Multituberculata. The skeleton, which represents one of the largest of the Gondwanan Mesozoic mammaliaforms, is particularly notable for exhibiting many unique features in combination with features that are convergent on those of therian mammals. This uniqueness is consistent with a lineage history for A. hui of isolation on Madagascar for more than 20 million years.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2234-8

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