The post-cranial anatomy and functional morphology of Conoryctes comma (Mammalia: Taeniodonta) from the Paleocene of North America.

ABSTRACT: Conoryctes comma is a member of the enigmatic group Taeniodonta, Paleogene mammals that have been found only in North America. Taeniodonts were part of the first wave of placental mammal diversification after the end-Cretaceous extinction. The lack of postcranial elements has limited the understanding of the anatomy and locomotion of Conoryctes, and how it compared to other taeniodonts. We here describe the postcranial anatomy and functional morphology of Conoryctes, based largely on nine new specimens found in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, USA. The specimens include elements of the axial column, such as the axis, sacrum, and ribs; the humerus, ulna, radius, and part of the manus; the innominate, femur, tibia, and part of the pes, including the tarsals. Conoryctes was a medium-sized mamm

SUBMITTER: Kynigopoulou Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11508153 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature