Eobaataridae

Eobaataridae is a family of fossil mammals within the order Multituberculata. Remains are known from the Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Asia. They are among the most derived representatives of the informal suborder "Plagiaulacida", and closely related to Cimolodonta. Most eobaatarids are only known from isolated teeth, though several reasonably complete members are known, including Sinobaatar and Jeholbaatar. The body of Sinobaatar is generalised,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> while Jeholbaatar displays clear adaptations for scansoriality (climbing) due to its elongated digits.<ref name=":0" /> Due to the morphology of the cheek teeth, Eobaatar and Jeholbaatar are inferred to be omnivorous, likely feeding on plants and invertebrates.<ref name=":0" />

Indobaatar from the Early Jurassic Kota Formation has been suggested to be the earliest known multituberculate, let alone the earliest eobaatarid, and may stretch the eobaatarid-cimolodontan group much earlier than previously thought.<ref>Parmar, Prasad, and Kumar (2013) The first multituberculate mammal from India. Naturwissenschaften</ref> However its referral to the family has been considered questionable by other scholars.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Fossils of Jeholbaatar kielanae seem to show that multituberculates independently acquired a middle ear from other mammal groups.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Cladogram after Carvalho et al. 2025:<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Clade

Etymology

The name "Eobaatar" (from ancient Greek "ἠώς"= dawn and Mongolian "baatar"= hero) means "dawn hero".

Notes

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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.
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External links

• Most of this information has been derived from MESOZOIC MAMMALS: Plagiaulacidae, Albionbaataridae, Eobaataridae & Arginbaataridae