Kuehneotheriidae

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Kuehneotheriidae Fossil range: Late Triassic - Jurassic
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata (unranked) Amniota Class: Synapsida (unranked) Mammaliaformes Order: Symmetrodonta Family: Kuehneotheriidae

Kuehneotheriidae is a clade within Symmetrodonta and was created to embrace Kuehneotherium and Woutersia, which lived in Europe in the late Triassic and early Jurassic. All members of Kuehneotheriidae which have been found so far are represented only by teeth, but these teeth have features which have led paleontologists to classify Kuehneotheriidae as very close relatives of the first true mammals.^[1] But fossil clades based solely on teeth often lead to difficulties (Ausktribosphenidae are a good example), and it is not possible to draw significant conclusions about mammalian evolution from the Kuehneotheriidae - unless someone finds more complete fossils.

[edit] See also

• Evolution of mammals

[edit] References

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