Sulestes is an extinct genus of Deltatheridiidae from Cretaceous period. It has only been recovered from the Bissekty Formation in Uzbekistan.[1]
Sulestes Temporal range: Late Cretaceous
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A hypothetical life restoration of Sulestes karakshi. | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | †Deltatheroida |
Family: | †Deltatheridiidae |
Genus: | †Sulestes Nessov, 1985 |
Species | |
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Synonyms | |
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Description
editSulestes is known from several jaw bones and teeth. Its holotype CCMGE 35/12000 consists of a left maxilla fragment with the first two molars.[2] Significantly more material was referred to the genus in 2010 that included a right maxilla and several right and left dentary fragments.[1]
The genus and the Deltatheridiidae family as a whole are thought to be predators.[2]
Classification
editThe following cladogram is modified from Averianov et al., 2010:[1]
Deltatheroida |
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References
edit- ^ a b c A. O. Averianov, J. D. Archibald, and E. G. Ekdale. 2010. New material of the Late Cretaceous deltatheroidan mammal Sulestes from Uzbekistan and phylogenetic reassessment of the metatherian-eutherian dichotomy. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 8 (3): 301-330. doi:10.1080/14772011003603499
- ^ a b Nessov, Lev A.; Sigogneau-Russel, Denise; Russel, Donald E. (1994). "A survey of Cretaceous tribosphenic mammals from middle Asia (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan), of their geological setting, age and faunal environment". Palaeovertebrata. 23 (1–4): 51–92.