Taxonomy'and Biostratigraphy of the Early Tertiary Taeniodonta
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Taxonomy'and biostratigraphy of the early I Tertiary Taeniodonta (Mammalia: Eutheria) R. M. SCHOCH Department of Geology and Geophysics and Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University. New Haven, Connecticut 0651 I The Geological Society of America Bulletin, Pirt 11, v. 92, 1982-2267, 17 figs., 12 tables, 61 plates, December, 1981, Doc. no. M11205 Thus, the San Juan basin mammalian INTRODUCTION I faunas provide 'a sequence of faunas The Taeniodonta is an order of archaic which can provide the basis for inter- mammals known exclusively from the lower basinal correlation. The Taeniodonta Tertiary of western North America are animportant element of these' (Schoch and Lucas, 1981a). Their re- faunas; many o# the type spccimeyts and mains are found in Puercan (lowCr Paleo- important referred specimens of these cene) to Uintan (upper Eocene) strata animals come from the San Juan basin. of the Rocky Mountain intermontane However, except for Pa?terson's (1949b) sedimentary basins (Figs. 13, 14; brief review, a comprehensive study of Table 12). In the San Juan basin of this order has not been published for Hpw Mexico and Colorado, the Puercan to more than 80 years (Wortman, 1897b). Wasacchian (lower EL-cene) sedimentary Before a group of animals can be used, sequence includes the type localities bibstratigraphic correlation, its for the Puercan,.. Torrejonian (middle species- and genus-level taxonomy, and Paleoc'ene), and Tiffanian (late Paleo- its known stratigraphic occurrences cene) land mammal - "ages" (Wood and must be well established. .In this paper, others, 1941) as well as a classic I revise the species'level taxonomy of Wasatchian fauna (Lucas and others, 1981). the Taeniodonta and document their 1982 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-pdf/92/12_Part_II/1982/3418970/i0016-7606-92-12-1982.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 1983 geographic and temporal (stratigraphic) specifically or generically indetermi- distribution and I discuss their use- nate. In the figures and tables, I fulness and implications for biostrati- illustrate and present dental measure- graphic correlation in western North ments for each t-axon, both for use America. as a practical guide to ideutifying other taeniodont specimens and as a SCOPE AND METHODS source of data to serve as the basis In this paper, I undertake a complete for further research. In the bibliog- taxonomic revision at the genus- and raphy, I present references not only to species-level of the Taeniodonta based works.mentioned in the present paper on the majority of the known specimens. but also to other works? which discuss The suprageneric classification and taeniodonts. phylogeny of the taeniodonts is not ABBREVIATIONS USED considered here. Taxonomic judgments are made solely on the basis of morphology; AC Amherst College, Amherst ,,Massa- edtrinsic stratigraphic and geographic chuse t t s data, although recorded and considered AMNH American Museum of Natural History, important, are not uskd to define taxa. New York Referred specimens listed for each BAWSM ,Bayerischen Akademie der Wis- taxon indicate the distribution (strati- senschaften Sammlung Mhchen, graphic/geographic) of the taxon. How- Mun-ich ever, these lists are not meant to be BNM Basel Naturhistorischen Museum, comprehensive,.> only representative. Basel Several other taeniodont specimens exist CM Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh 4 which are not specifically mentioned or DNHM Dinosaur Natural History Museum, illustrated in this work; however, many Vernal, Utah of these remaining specimens are FMNH Field Museum of Natural History, Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-pdf/92/12_Part_II/1982/3418970/i0016-7606-92-12-1982.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 1984 Chicago L Length IVPP Institute of Vertebrate Paleon- W Width tology and Paleoanthropology, Tr Trigohid Beij ing Td Talonid MCZ Museum of Comparative Zoology, * Asterisks indicate approximate Harvard University , Cambridge, measurements of damaged 0-rworn Massachusetts teeth or measurements or alveoli. MPM Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee All dental measqements are given in mm. RU Princ; ton University , Princeton Tooth nomenclaturq fol'lows Szalay (1969, Texas Memorial Museum, Austin p. 198Y03, Table 1, Fig. 1). UALP University of Arizona Laboratory SYSTEWTIC PALEONTOLOGY of Paleontology, Tucson UCMP University of California Museum Order Taeniodonta Cope, 1876a of Paleontology, Berkeley EquaZs or incZudes: UK University of Kansas, Lawrence Stylinodontidae ,Marsh, 1875b, p. 221. UM University of Minnesota Taeniodonta Cope, 187Ga, p. 39. Minneapolis Ectoganidae Cope, 1876a, p. 39. UNM University of New Mexico Calamondonfidae Cope, 1876, p. 39. Albuquerque Hemiganidae Cope, 1888d, p. 310. USGS U.S. Geological Survey, Paleon- Ganodonta Wortman, 1896a, p. 259. tology and Stratigraphy Branch, Conoryctidae Wortman, 1896a, p. 260. Denver Stylinodontia Marsh, 1897, p. 137. USNM National Museum of Natural Conoryctinae Schlossei, 1911, p. 414. History, Washington, D.C. Stylinodontinae Schlosser, 1911, p. 414. uw University of Wyoming, Laramie Onychodectini Winge, 191.7, 'p. 105. YPM Peabody Museum of Natural History, Conoryctini Winge, 1917, p.. 105. Yale University, New Haven Stylinodontini Winge, 1917, p. 106. Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-pdf/92/12_Part_II/1982/3418970/i0016-7606-92-12-1982.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 1985 Psittacotherinae Matthew, 1937, p. 237. trigonids and talorids of all molars Taeniodontidae Szalay, 1977, p. 368. subequal in size (length and width); Inc Zuded genera: Onychodectes Cope, trigonids bear subequal protoconids 1888d; ConorycteZZa Gazin, 1939; Conorycte and metaconids; molars decrease in size Cope, 1881a (= llexoion Cope, 1884a); posteriorly, hypoconulid/talonid not Huerfanodon Schoch and Lucas, 1981b; expanded on Mg. Taeniodonts can also Vortmania Hay, 1899; Psittacotheriwn Cope, be distinguished by a tendency toward 1882b (= Hemiganus Cope, 1882~); Ectoganus hypsodbnt cheek teeth. In relatively Cope, 1874 (= CaZamodon Cope, 1874 = "primitive" ffxms (Onychodectes, Dryp,todon Marsh, l876b = Coiiicodon Cope, Conoryctella, Conoryctes, Huerfanodon 1894 = Lampaddphoms Patterson, 1949a) ; and Nortmania) this take.s the form of and StgZinodoh Marsh, 1874. "tooth-base" or crown" huposodonty Distribution: Pucrcan (early Paleo- (White, 1959), characterized by the cene) to Uintan (late Eocenej of western labial extension of the enamel on. North America. the lower cheek teeth and the lingual Discussion. I recognize \$theorder extension of the enamel on the upper Taeniodonta as a monophyletic taxon whose cheek teeth. In more "advanced" members share the following derived taeniodonts (Psittacotheriwn, Ectoganus, characters: relatively narrow upper and SqjIZnodon) , this forh of hypsodonty molars, with protocones, protoconules, and is combined with "root" hypsodonty metaconules small and placed far lingually, (White, 1959), in which the roots of paracones and metacones moderate-sized, the cheek teeth fuse and become ever- punctate and placed far labiafly with re-. growing. Taeniodonts are also charac- duced stylar shelves; pre- and postcingula terized by the possession of a lacking on upper molars; hypocone absent leptictimorph astragalocalcaneal or developed by a splitting off from the morphology (Szalay, 1977). protocone; lower molars lack cingulids; Jacob Wortman (1896a, 1897b) first Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-pdf/92/12_Part_II/1982/3418970/i0016-7606-92-12-1982.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 I986 recgonized-theTaeniodonta in its modem Insectivora) composed of three tribes: sense. Up until the work of Wortman, Onychodectini (Onychodectes), different workers included varipus genera Conoryctini (Conoryctes), and' in. the Taeniodonta. Several genera now Stylinodonitni ("Hemiganus" [= considered taeniodonts, such as Onyclzo-' Nortmania] , Psittc zotherim, "Ca Zamodon" gectes , Conoryc5es, Wortmania, and = Ectoganrisl , and Sty Zinodon) . Matthew 8 Psit$acotheriwn, often were placed in (1937) recognized the family Stylino- the Tillodontia, Creodonta, or Insecti- dontinae (sole family of the order vora (for example, Cope, 1882b, 1888d). Taeniodonta) composed of the Onychodec- Wortman placed 'the taeniodonts in their tinae (dnychodectes)2 tonoryctinac own suborder, Ganodonta, within the orpcr (Conoqctes), Psittacotherinae Edentata, and included two families iA-the (Nortrnanic., Psittacotheriwn, and "ganodonts": the Conoryctidae, composed "Ca lamodon" [= Ectogams 1 , and.-,S tyfino- of Onychodectes and Conoryctek-, and the dontinae (StgZinodoiz). Simpson (1945) Stylinodontidae, composed of "llemiganzis" : adopted Matthew s (1937) classj fication (= Najotmaxia) , Fsitt-acJtheriwn "Ca Zamodon" of the Taeniodonta in its broad out- (= k$oganiis), and StgZinodon. Wortman lines, but reduced the number of sub- .c. viewed the conoryctids and stylinodontids families to two. Thus, Simpson (1945) as two evolving phyla forming a graded recognized one family of the order ancestor-descendant series from one genus Taeniodonta, Stylinodontidac, composed to the next., of the subfamilies Conoryctinae Schlosser (1911) recognized the (Ongchodectes, ConocicteZ Za, and Ganodonta.[sic] as a family of the Conomjctes) and Stylinodontin,ae (Nor&-, Edentata and reduced Wortman's maina, Psittacotheriwn Ectoganus arid Conoryctidae and Stylinodontidae to StyZinodon). The most recent student subfamilies. Winge (1917, 1923) recog-