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A new didymoconid, Erlianoryctes mengi gen. et sp. nov. (Didymoconidae, Didymoconida), from the Eocene Arshanto Formation of the Erlian Basin, China

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  • (1 Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100044)
    (2 College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 101408)
    * Corresponding author: wangyuanqing@ivpp.ac.cn

Online published: 2026-08-25

Abstract

Didymoconidae is an enigmatic family of Asian Paleogene eutherian mammals, with its early diversity remaining poorly documented. Here, we report a new genus and species, Erlianoryctes mengi gen. et sp. nov., based on a fragmentary, partial juvenile skull and associated lower dentition recovered from the Arshanto Formation of the Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol, China. The new taxon is characterized by the combination of characters: P3 with a small metacone and prominent protocone; P4 submolariform, with the metacone incompletely separated from the paracone, and a distinct postcingulum present; M1–2 with a prominent postcingulum; and m1–2 with a relatively large and lingually positioned paraconid, and a tricuspid talonid in which the hypoconid, hypoconulid and entoconid are arranged in an arc. Morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses indicate that the new species represents a basal didymoconine, bridging Archaeoryctes-like ancestors and derived didymoconines. Additionally, the new specimen reveals a tooth eruption sequence virtually identical to that of later didymoconids, indicating that the tooth eruption pattern, except for the P2/p2, is probably conservative within the family. 

Cite this article

YU Han-Yu, BAI Bin, LI Qian, WANG Yuan-Qing . A new didymoconid, Erlianoryctes mengi gen. et sp. nov. (Didymoconidae, Didymoconida), from the Eocene Arshanto Formation of the Erlian Basin, China[J]. Vertebrata Palasiatica, 0 : 1 . DOI: 10.19615/j.cnki.2096-9899.260826

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