Sulestes

Summary

Sulestes is an extinct genus of Deltatheridiidae from Cretaceous period. It has only been recovered from the Bissekty Formation in Uzbekistan.[1]

Sulestes
Temporal range: Cretaceous
A hypothetical life restoration of Sulestes karakshi.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Deltatheroida
Family: Deltatheridiidae
Genus: Sulestes
Nessov, 1985
Species
  • Sulestes karakshi Nessov 1985
Synonyms
  • Deltatherus Nessov, 1997
  • Marsasia Nessov, 1997

Description edit

Sulestes is known from several jaw bones and teeth. Its holotype CCMGE 35/12000 consists of a left maxilla fragment with the first two molars.[2] Significantly more material was referred to the genus in 2010 that included a right maxilla and several right and left dentary fragments.[1]

The genus and the Deltatheridiidae family as a whole are thought to be predators.[2]

Classification edit

The following cladogram is modified from Averianov et al., 2010:[1]

Deltatheroida

Oklatheridium

Deltatheridiidae

References edit

  1. ^ a b c A. O. Averianov, J. D. Archibald, and E. G. Ekdale. 2010. New material of the Late Cretaceous deltatheroidan mammal Sulestes from Uzbekistan and phylogenetic reassessment of the metatherian-eutherian dichotomy. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 8 (3): 301-330. doi:10.1080/14772011003603499
  2. ^ a b Nessov, Lev A.; Sigogneau-Russel, Denise; Russel, Donald E. (1994). "A survey of Cretaceous tribosphenic mammals from middle Asia (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan), of their geological setting, age and faunal environment". Palaeovertebrata. 23 (1–4): 51–92.