Tiny canine in Late Cretaceous marsupials
Here are a few other examples
of the reduction of the canine (orange) in another clade of marsupials as double-rooted premolar one (cyan) enlarged to take on a canine-like appearance in Late Cretaceous Asioryctes.nemegtensis (Fig 1) and closely related Ukhaatherium nessovi (Fig 2).
The large reptile tree (LRT, 2338 taxa) reflects these scoring and phylogenetic updates.
Figure 1. Asioryctes nemegtensi rostrum with canine (orange) disappearng as premolar 1 becoming canine-like.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/asioryctes.nemegtensis.canine588.gif?w=158″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/asioryctes.nemegtensis.canine588.gif?w=538″ class=”size-full wp-image-94918″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/asioryctes.nemegtensis.canine588.gif” alt=”Figure 1. Asioryctes nemegtensi rostrum with canine (orange) disappearng as premolar 1 becoming canine-like.” width=”584″ height=”1112″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/asioryctes.nemegtensis.canine588.gif?w=584&h=1112 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/asioryctes.nemegtensis.canine588.gif?w=79&h=150 79w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/asioryctes.nemegtensis.canine588.gif?w=158&h=300 158w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/asioryctes.nemegtensis.canine588.gif 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Asioryctes nemegtensi rostrum with canine (orange) disappearng as premolar 1 becoming canine-like.
Figure 2. Ukhaatherium nessovi demonstrating the reduction of the canine (orange), formerly considered incisor #5 at the same time as premolar 1 (cyan) taking on the appearance of a large canine.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ukhaatherium-skull588.jpg?w=284″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ukhaatherium-skull588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-94920″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ukhaatherium-skull588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Ukhaatherium nessovi demonstrating the reduction of the canine (orange), formerly considered incisor #5 at the same time as premolar 1 (cyan) taking on the appearance of a large canine. ” width=”584″ height=”618″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ukhaatherium-skull588.jpg?w=584&h=618 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ukhaatherium-skull588.jpg?w=142&h=150 142w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ukhaatherium-skull588.jpg?w=284&h=300 284w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ukhaatherium-skull588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Ukhaatherium nessovi demonstrating the reduction of the canine (orange), formerly considered incisor #5 at the same time as premolar 1 (cyan) taking on the appearance of a large canine.
These taxa are distinct from the other marsupial clade
that produced kangaroos and their relatives. One branch developed a placental form of reproduction (by convergence with Carnivora and kin) resulting in tree shrews, armadillos and dolphins.
Figure 3. Hadrocodium traditionally has five incisors, but here incisor 5 is reinterpreted as a reduced canine while the large double-rooted premolar 1 substitutes for the canine.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hadrocodium_color_bones.jpg?w=231″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hadrocodium_color_bones.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-94922″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hadrocodium_color_bones.jpg” alt=”Figure 3. Hadrocodium traditionally has five incisors, but here incisor 5 is reinterpreted as a reduced canine while the large double-rooted premolar 1 substitutes for the canine.” width=”584″ height=”760″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hadrocodium_color_bones.jpg?w=584&h=760 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hadrocodium_color_bones.jpg?w=115&h=150 115w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hadrocodium_color_bones.jpg?w=231&h=300 231w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hadrocodium_color_bones.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 3. Hadrocodium traditionally has five incisors, but here incisor 5 is reinterpreted as a reduced canine while the large double-rooted premolar 1 substitutes for the canine. Note the anterior shift of the canine relative to the unchanged lower canine.
I know of no explanation for this dental shift
now observed in two marsupial clades by convergence.
These examples are only a few of the reasons why reconstructing the phylogeny of mammals has been so difficult for all workers, including yours truly.
Reinterpretation of previous assessments, like canine ID has been necessary.
Figure 4. Vincelestes to scale with related taxa. Close up (below) appears to show a vestigial upper canine (orange) anterior to the lower canine and enlarged double-rooted premolar (cyan).
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/vincelestes-neuquenianus-macn-n-04.jpg?w=111″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/vincelestes-neuquenianus-macn-n-04.jpg?w=380″ class=”size-full wp-image-94924″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/vincelestes-neuquenianus-macn-n-04.jpg” alt=”Figure 4. Vincelestes to scale with related taxa. Close up (below) appears to show a vestigial upper canine (orange) anterior to the lower canine and enlarged double-rooted premolar (cyan).” width=”584″ height=”1573″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/vincelestes-neuquenianus-macn-n-04.jpg?w=584&h=1573 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/vincelestes-neuquenianus-macn-n-04.jpg?w=56&h=150 56w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/vincelestes-neuquenianus-macn-n-04.jpg?w=111&h=300 111w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/vincelestes-neuquenianus-macn-n-04.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 4. Vincelestes to scale with related taxa. Close up (below) appears to show a vestigial upper canine (orange) anterior to the lower canine and enlarged double-rooted premolar (cyan). The premaxilla is taphonomically damaged.
Phylogenetic miniaturization is present here,
based on tiny Early Jurassic Hadrocodium (Fig 3), which also has fewer teeth overall due to neotony = kids having kids, generation after generation.
Outgroup taxa for this newly recognized clade include Early Cretaceous Ambolestes, Oligocene Ptolemaia and Miocene Masrasector, none of which demonstrate canine reduction.
This hypothesis of identification
now needs confirmation, refutation or modification from other workers.
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/10/16/tiny-canine-in-late-cretaceous-marsupials/
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