Paucituberculata

Paucituberculata Template:IPAc-en is an order of South American marsupials. Although currently represented only by the seven living species of shrew opossums, this order was formerly much more diverse, with more than 60 extinct species named from the fossil record, particularly from the late Oligocene to early Miocene epochs.<ref name="Abello2013">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=Engelman /> The earliest paucituberculatans date to the late Paleocene (Itaboraian South American land mammal age).<ref name="Goin2009">Template:Cite journal</ref> The group went through a pronounced decline in the middle Miocene epoch, which resulted in the extinction of all families of this order except for the living shrew opossums (Caenolestidae). Extinct families of Paucituberculatans include Pichipilidae, Palaeothentidae, and Abderitidae.<ref name=Engelman />

Classification

It is one of two clades of Ameridelphia, a paraphyletic group; genetic studies have shown these animals to be a sister group to Australidelphia (i.e., Didelphimorphia branched off first).<ref name="LAT">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name = "Nilsson">Template:Cite journal</ref> However, other studies have shown that shrew opossums branched off first, and thus Didelphimorphia is the sister group of Australidelphia.<ref name="Upham 2019">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

The Paucituberculata were once considered to be closely related to South American polydolopimorph metatherians, however phylogenetic analyses have found this is not true.<ref name=Goin2009/>

Subdivision

The order is subdivided into:<ref name=Abello2007_p410>Abello, 2007, p.410</ref><ref name=FWPaucituberculata>Paucituberculata at Fossilworks.org</ref>

• †Bardalestes Template:Small<ref name=Goin2009/>
• †Evolestes Template:Small
• †Fieratherium Template:Small
• †Riolestes Template:Small<ref name=Goin2009/>
• Superfamily Caenolestoidea Template:Small
  • Family Caenolestidae Template:Small
    • Caenolestes Template:Small
    • †Caenolestoides Template:Small
    • †Gaimanlestes Template:Small
    • Lestoros Template:Small
    • †Pliolestes Template:Small
    • †Pseudhalmarhiphus Template:Small
    • Rhyncholestes Template:Small
    • †Stilotherium Template:Small
• Superfamily †Palaeothentoidea Template:Small<ref name=FWPalaeothentoidea>Palaeothentoidea at Fossilworks.org</ref>
  • †Perulestes Template:Small
  • †Pilchenia Template:Small
  • †Sasawatsu Template:Small
  • Family †Pichipilidae Template:Small
    • †Phonocdromus Template:Small
    • †Pichipilus Template:Small
    • †Quirogalestes Template:Small
  • Family †Abderitidae Template:Small
    • †Abderites Template:Small
    • †Parabderites Template:Small
    • †Pitheculites Template:Small
  • Family †Palaeothentidae Template:Small
    • †Chimeralestes Template:Small<ref name="Engelman">Template:Cite journal</ref>
    • †Hondathentes Template:Small<ref name=FWHondathenthes>Hondathenthes at Fossilworks.org</ref>
    • Subfamily †Palaeothentinae Template:Small<ref name=FWPaleothentidae>Paleothentidae at Fossilworks.org</ref>
      • †Antawallathentes Template:Small<ref name="Rincon2015">Template:Cite journal</ref>
      • †Carlothentes Template:Small
      • †Palaeothentes Template:Small
      • †Palaepanorthus Template:Small
      • †Propalaeothentes Template:Small
    • Subfamily †Acdestinae Template:Small
      • †Acdestis Template:Small
      • †Acdestoides Template:Small
      • †Acdestodon Template:Small
      • †Titanothentes Template:Small
      • †Trelewthentes Template:Small

See also

• List of mammal genera
• List of prehistoric mammals

References

Bibliography

• Template:Cite thesis