Better data on Stylinodon moves it over to the plesiadapiformes
This photo of Stylinodon
(Fig 1) illuminated its morphology and revealed earlier errors, now corrected in the large reptile tree (LRT, 2338 taxa). Now Stylinodon, Ectoganus and Psittacotherium nest with Trogosus and Tillodon along with the beaver + manatee clade all within the Plesiadapiformes (still not related to primates).
Figure 1. Stylinodon skull. DGS colors added here. Dual conjoined upper incisors were cutting tools, perhaps for felling trees, as in related beavers. Note the large temporal space available for large jaw muscles.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/stylinodon-skull2025.gif?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/stylinodon-skull2025.gif?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-93692″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/stylinodon-skull2025.gif” alt=”Figure 1. Stylinodon skull. DGS colors added here. Dual conjoined upper incisors were cutting tools, perhaps for felling trees, as in related beavers. Note the large temporal space available for large jaw muscles. ” width=”584″ height=”538″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/stylinodon-skull2025.gif?w=584&h=538 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/stylinodon-skull2025.gif?w=150&h=138 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/stylinodon-skull2025.gif?w=300&h=277 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/stylinodon-skull2025.gif 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Stylinodon skull. DGS colors added here. Dual conjoined upper incisors were cutting tools, perhaps for felling trees, as in related beavers. Note the large temporal space available for large jaw muscles.
The above clade arises from the Apatemyidae in the LRT,
which also sport hyperrobust incisors. This clade includes Thylacoleo (Fig 2), the marsupial ‘lion’, a taxon surrounded by herbivores and gnawers like Stylinodon.
Are we so sure that Thylacoleo was a killer? Maybe it was a beaver analog.
Figure 1. Thylacoleo ancestors in the LRT include Wakaleo, the Apatemyidae + Labidolemur.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dactylopsila.labidolemur588-1.jpg?w=75″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dactylopsila.labidolemur588-1.jpg?w=257″ class=”size-full wp-image-91217″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dactylopsila.labidolemur588-1.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Thylacoleo ancestors in the LRT include Wakaleo, the Apatemyidae + Labidolemur.” width=”584″ height=”2326″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dactylopsila.labidolemur588-1.jpg?w=584&h=2326 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dactylopsila.labidolemur588-1.jpg?w=38&h=150 38w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dactylopsila.labidolemur588-1.jpg?w=75&h=300 75w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dactylopsila.labidolemur588-1.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Thylacoleo ancestors in the LRT include Wakaleo, the Apatemyidae + Labidolemur.
Stylinodon mirus
(Marsh 1874; middle Eocene, 45 mya) was originally considered a taeniodont, perhaps derived from the basal phenacodont, Onychodectes. Here it nests with tillodonts and beavers within the Plesiadapiformes. The largest anterior teeth were two combined incisors. Canines were absent. The peg-like molars also continued growing throughout life. Large claws indicate that digging remained part of its lifestyle.
References
Marsh OC 1874. Notice of new Tertiary mammals 3. American Journal of Science. (3) 7i: 531-534.
wiki/Stylinodon
wiki/Psittacotherium
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/07/16/better-data-on-stylinodon-moves-it-over-to-the-plesiadapiformes/
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