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Euharamiyida

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

Fossil specimen of Maiopatagium furculiferum displayed at the National Natural History Museum of China.

Euharamiyida, also known as Eleutherodontida, is a group of early mammals or mammal-like cynodonts that lived from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous periods. They were found in Eurasia and possibly North America. Scientists sometimes think this group is closely related to another group called Multituberculata, or that they branched off earlier from the synapsid line.

There is some debate about whether Euharamiyida are related to the haramiyids from the Late Triassic period, such as Haramiyavia. By studying the shape of their teeth, we can tell that these animals likely ate plants or a mix of plants and small animals. Some members of this group are believed to have lived in trees, and they may have been able to glide through the air, similar to modern flying squirrels or colugos.

Evolution

Life restoration of Shenshou, an extinct squirrel-like euharamiyidan from the Middle Jurassic of China

Scientists are still figuring out where euharamiyidans fit in the family tree of early mammals. Some believe they were special mammals called multituberculates, while others think they were very early relatives of mammals. This depends on how they are linked to older creatures from the Triassic period, like Haramiyavia and Thomasia. In some studies, these groups are not related at all.

Phylogeny

Euharamiyida, also known as Eleutherodontida, is a group of early mammals or mammal-like creatures that lived from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous periods. They were found in Eurasia and possibly North America. Scientists sometimes think this group is closely related to another group called Multituberculata, or that they split off earlier from the family tree of synapsids. There is also debate about whether they are connected to haramiyids from the Late Triassic, such as Haramiyavia.

Taxa

Here are the main groups of animals in Euharamiyida, following a study by Mao and others in 2022:

Images

Scientific illustration of Abdalodon diastematicus, an ancient mammal-like reptile, showing its appearance in prehistoric times.
A scientific artist's reconstruction of Galesaurus planiceps, an ancient mammal-like reptile from the Triassic period.
Illustration of Chiniquodon theotonicus, an ancient mammal-like reptile from the Triassic period.
Artist's reconstruction of Riograndia guaibensis, an ancient cynodont animal from the fossil record.
Pencil drawing of Oligokyphus triserialis, an ancient mammal-like reptile from the Early Jurassic period.
Illustration of Morganucodon oehleri, an early mammal from the age of dinosaurs.
An artist's illustration of Docofossor, an ancient mammal-like reptile from China, showing its unique body and digging posture.

Related articles

Multituberculata
Gondwanatheria

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Euharamiyida, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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