Polydolopimorphia

Polydolopimorphia; Temporal range: Paleocene– Pliocene, 66–2.6 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
	Argyrolagus palmeri
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Clade:	Metatheria
Clade:	Marsupialiformes
Order:	†Polydolopimorphia; Archer, 1984
Subgroups
	†Apeirodon?; †Pujatodon?; †Bonapartheriiformes; †Polydolopiformes;

Polydolopimorphia is an extinct order of metatherians, closely related to extant marsupials. Known from the Paleocene-Pliocene of South America and the Eocene of Antarctica, they were a diverse group during the Paleogene, filling many niches, before declining and becoming extinct at the end of the Neogene.^[1] It is divided into two suborders, Bonapartheriiformes, and Polydolopiformes^[2] Most members are only known from jaw fragments, which have their characteristically generally bunodont teeth.^[3] The morphology of their teeth has led to proposals that polydolopimorphians may be crown group marsupials, nested within Australidelphia,^[4] though this proposal, has been questioned, with other analyses finding them outside of crown-group Marsupialia.^[3] The monophyly of the group has been questioned, due to the possibility of the characteristic bunodont teeth emerging convergently in unrelated groups, rather than reflecting a true phylogenetic relationship.^[5] The group contained omnivorous, frugivorous and herbivorous forms.^[4]

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Subgroups ...

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Polydolopimorphia

Taxonomy

References

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