A broken cheekbone found in Gustafsonia
Gustafsonia cognitus
(Fig 1), formerly Miacis cognitis, was about to dropped from the LRT because it appeared to be a partial skull lacking a zygomatic arch. Closer examination revealed crushed and broken elements in the masseter = jaw muscle region.
Figure 1. The skull only specimen of Gustafsonia appears to be missing the zygomatic arch = cheekbone. A closer look into the shadows of this image appear to reveal the crushed a and broken elements, the postfrontal (orange), the jugal (cyan) and squamosal (magenta).
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/gustafsonia.2.gif?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/gustafsonia.2.gif?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-89852″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/gustafsonia.2.gif” alt=”Figure 1. The skull only specimen of Gustafsonia appears to be missing the zygomatic arch = cheekbone. A closer look into the shadows of this image appear to reveal the crushed a and broken elements, the postfrontal (orange), the jugal (cyan) and squamosal (magenta). ” width=”584″ height=”568″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/gustafsonia.2.gif?w=584&h=568 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/gustafsonia.2.gif?w=150&h=146 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/gustafsonia.2.gif?w=300&h=292 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/gustafsonia.2.gif 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. The skull only specimen of Gustafsonia appears to be missing the zygomatic arch = cheekbone. A closer look into the shadows of this image appear to reveal the crushed a and broken elements, the postfrontal (orange), the jugal (cyan) and squamosal (magenta).
When restored
the elements matched those of related taxa (Fig 2) at the base of the ‘marsupial sabertooth’ clade rooted on Paroodectes (Fig 2).
If this is a misidentification, then Gustafsonia will exit the LRT.
Figure 2. Gustafsonia and two relatives, Paroodectes and the IVPP V5235 specimen assigned to Hapalodectes.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/paroodectes588.jpg?w=163″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/paroodectes588.jpg?w=558″ class=”size-full wp-image-89854″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/paroodectes588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. The skull only specimen of Gustafsonia appears to be missing the zygomatic arch = cheekbone. A closer look into the shadows of this image appear to reveal the crushed a and broken elements, the postfrontal (orange), the jugal (cyan) and squamosal (magenta). ” width=”584″ height=”1073″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/paroodectes588.jpg?w=584&h=1073 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/paroodectes588.jpg?w=82&h=150 82w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/paroodectes588.jpg?w=163&h=300 163w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/paroodectes588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Gustafsonia and two relatives, Paroodectes and the IVPP V5235 specimen assigned to Hapalodectes. Cheekbone or not, the resemblance here is strong.
Taking a look at the three taxa
in figure 2, including Gustafsonia in this clade appears to be correct based on gross anatomy and .nex scores. Once again, some things seem obvious in hindsight. Some times, actually quite often, it takes awhile to understand the subtle differences in the mammal subset of the LRT.
So this problem is resolved, but others need further study.
When you build your own LRT,
which I encourage you to do… you, too, will find how really amazing, and frustrating, mammal systematics can be, how often convergence appears, and how fined-tuned interpretations must be.
Don’t give up too soon. There may be overlooked splinters waiting to be discovered – like last year’s Easter eggs.
References
Springhorn R 1980. Paroodectes feisti, der erste Miacide (Carnivora, Mammalia) aus dem Mittel-Eozän von Messel. Paläontologische Zeitschrift (in German and Latin). 54 (1/2): 171–198.
Ting S and Li C 1987. The skull of Hapalodectes (?Acreodi, Mammalia), with notes on some Chinese Paleocene mesonychids. Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 25: 161–186.
Tomiya S and Tseng JT 2016. Whence the beardogs? Reappraisal of the Middle to Late Eocene Miacis from Texas, USA, and the origin of Amphicyonidae (Mammalia, Carnivora). Royal Society Open Science. 3 (10): 160518.
wiki/Gustafsonia
wiki/Paroodectes
wiki/Hapalodectes – not yet posted
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2024/11/19/a-broken-cheekbone-found-in-gustafsonia/
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