Sinobaatar gen. nov.: First multituberculate from the Jehol Biota of Liaoning, Northeast China

Abstract

A multituberculate skeleton from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation at Dawangzhangzi, Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province, Northeast China, provides new morphological information for early multituberculates. The specimen is the holotype of Sinobaatar lingyuanensis gen. et sp. nov. It has a narrow skull that lacks the superorbital crest or postorbital process. The dental formula is 3.?.5.2/1.0.3.2. The dental morphology, especially that of cheek teeth, of S. lingyuanensis is similar to that of Eobaatar, which places it in the family Eobaataridae. The postcranial skeleton of Sinobaatar is similar to that of other multituberculates. As in Holotheria, Metatarsal V of Sinobaatar articulates only with the cuboid and has no contact with the calcaneus, which probably represents the primitive condition of multituberculates. Nine carpals of Sinobaatar resemble those of Zhangheotherium, except the centrale being larger than the trapezoid. The dental features of Sinobaatar show again that eobaatarids are obviously intermediate between Late Jurassic multituberculates and the later forms. Because eobaatarids are only known from the Early Cretaceous, the finding of Sinobaatar, therefore, supports that the age of the Jehol Biota is most likely Early Cretaceous.