Datamuodon

Datamuodon is a genus of extinct mammaliform from the Early Cretaceous of Asia. The name combines data- with the Greek odous (tooth), referring to its highly specialized dental pattern. The genus is monotypic, containing the species Datamuodon dataensis.

Discovery and naming: Fossils were recovered from the Datamu Formation in northern China in the late 1990s and described by Li and colleagues in 2006. The holotype consists of a partial skull with most of the dentition and portions of the jaw.

Description: Datamuodon dataensis is a small to medium-sized multituberculate mammaliform with an elongated snout and a large incisor. The most distinctive feature is its dentition: a complex array of cusps on the molars forming a rectangular pattern, interpreted as adaptations for durophagy (crushing) and processing fibrous plant matter. Postcranial remains suggest a generalized, moderately agile animal.

Taxonomy: Class Mammaliaformes; Order Multituberculata; Family Datamuodontidae (monotypic). The placement within multituberculates is based on dental morphology and tooth replacement patterns.

Paleobiology and paleoecology: Likely herbivorous or omnivorous; the dental cusps indicate grinding capabilities suitable for plant matter. Lived in warm, forested environments along river systems; coexisted with early feathered dinosaurs and primitive birds in local ecosystems.

Significance: Datamuodon provides evidence for early diversification of multituberculates in Asia and contributes to understanding geographic patterns of mammaliform evolution during the Early Cretaceous.

References: Li et al., 2006; Zhang and coworkers, 2010.