Family †Alphadontidae Rank Genus | Phylum Chordata | |
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Similar Didelphodon, Hesperonychus, Mesodma, Parksosaurus, Gypsonictopidae | ||
Lobo lameon sukarap naq inqon by deejay jhanzsxoii ft alphadon
Alphadon (meaning "first tooth") was a genus of small, primitive mammal that was a member of the metatherians, a group of mammals that includes modern-day marsupials. Its fossils were first discovered and named by George Gaylord Simpson in 1929.
Contents
- Lobo lameon sukarap naq inqon by deejay jhanzsxoii ft alphadon
- Description
- Taxonomy and classification
- References
Description
Not much is known about the appearance of Alphadon, as it is only known from teeth. It probably grew to about 12 in (30 cm) and may have resembled a modern opossum. Judging from its teeth, it was likely an omnivore, feeding on fruits, invertebrates and possibly small vertebrates.
Taxonomy and classification
The type species is Alphadon marshi. Eight other species are known.
The species Alphadon jasoni was originally described by Storer (1991); it was subsequently transferred to the herpetotheriid genus Nortedelphys.
Recent phylogenetic studies group it with other northern non-marsupial metatherians such as Albertatherium and Turgidodon. A 2016 phylogenetic analysis is shown below.