Peradectidae

Peradectidae
Temporal range: Paleocene–Miocene
Fossil of Peradectes
Life restoration of Mimoperadectes
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Clade: Metatheria
Family: †Peradectidae
Crochet, 1979
Genera

Peradectidae is a family of small metatherian mammals, spanning from the Paleocene (or possibly Latest Cretaceous) to the Miocene. Fossils are known from the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, Asia and North America. The monophyly of the group has been questioned, with some authors suggesting that Peradectes should be the only genus placed in the family.[1] The morphology of peradectids has been considered to be similar to opossums,[2] with at least some exhibiting morphology suggesting a tree dwelling arboreal/scansorial lifestyle.[3] Their diet is suggested to have included insects and fruit.[4]

Phylogenetic analysis suggest that they are less closely related to modern marsupials than herpetotheriids are.[5]

Cladogram after:[2]

Metatheria
  1. ^ Williamson, Thomas E.; Brusatte, Stephen L.; Carr, Thomas D.; Weil, Anne; Standhardt, Barbara R. (2012-12-01). "The phylogeny and evolution of Cretaceous–Palaeogene metatherians: cladistic analysis and description of new early Palaeocene specimens from the Nacimiento Formation, New Mexico". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 10 (4): 625–651. Bibcode:2012JSPal..10..625W. doi:10.1080/14772019.2011.631592. ISSN 1477-2019.
  2. ^ a b Ladevèze, Sandrine; Selva, Charlène; de Muizon, Christian (2020-09-01). "What are "opossum-like" fossils? The phylogeny of herpetotheriid and peradectid metatherians, based on new features from the petrosal anatomy". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 18 (17): 1463–1479. Bibcode:2020JSPal..18.1463L. doi:10.1080/14772019.2020.1772387. ISSN 1477-2019.
  3. ^ Horovitz, Inés; Martin, Thomas; Bloch, Jonathan; Ladevèze, Sandrine; Kurz, Cornelia; Sánchez-Villagra, Marcelo R. (2009-12-16). DeSalle, Robert (ed.). "Cranial Anatomy of the Earliest Marsupials and the Origin of Opossums". PLOS ONE. 4 (12): e8278. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008278. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 2789412. PMID 20016823.
  4. ^ Crespo, Vicente D.; Goin, Francisco J.; Pickford, Martin (2022-06-03). "The last African metatherian". Fossil Record. 25 (1): 173–186. doi:10.3897/fr.25.80706. ISSN 2193-0074.
  5. ^ de Muizon, Christian; Ladevèze, Sandrine (2022-06-30). "New material of Incadelphys antiquus (Pucadelphyda, Metatheria, Mammalia) from the early Palaeocene of Bolivia reveals phylogenetic affinities with enigmatic North and South American metatherians". Geodiversitas. 44 (22). doi:10.5252/geodiversitas2022v44a22. ISSN 1280-9659.