Eobaataridae

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Eobaataridae
Fossil range: Jurassic? - Early Cretaceous
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Multituberculata
Family: Eobaataridae
Genera

Eobaataridae is a family of fossil mammal within the order Multituberculata. Remains are known from the Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Asia, and possibly the Jurassic of North America. These herbivores thus lived during the Mesozoic era, also known as the "age of the dinosaurs". They were among the most derived representatives of the informal suborder "Plagiaulacida".

In this case of one taxon, remains are reasonably well known. This refers to Sinobaatar from the extraordinary Chinese locality of Liaoning. They were close relavtives of the Plagiaulacidae, while the second upper molar has similarities to ones known from the informal Paracimexomys group within the more derived suborder, Cimolodonta.

[edit] Etymology

The name component "Eobaatar-" is a Greek and Mongolian mixture and means "dawn hero".[citation needed]

[edit] References

  • Kielan-Jaworowska, Dashzeveg & Trofimov (1987), "Early Cretaceous multituberculates from Mongolia and a comparison with Late Jurassic forms". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 32, p.3-47.
  • Kielan-Jaworowska Z. and Hurum J.H. (2001), "Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals". Paleontology 44, p.389-429.
  • Most of this information has been derived from MESOZOIC MAMMALS: Plagiaulacidae, Albionbaataridae, Eobaataridae & Arginbaataridae