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To resolve the history of these large-sized #mammals, we integrate a dependency-coded matrix of 54 discrete characters and 42 morphogeometric and 5 continuous characters, across a sample of 37 taxa.
✅ 5 major lineages recovered
✅ Character weight ranking
✅ Ancestral reconstructions
One of the coolest parts? We reconstructed the hypothetical common ancestors for each major clade! Check the full paper for all the details on their cranial and dental evolution:
doi.org/10.1111/cla....
Ever-growing teeth ≠ grass diet! New study on pachyrukhine notoungulates, rodent-like fossil mammals from Argentina, shows they were mainly fruit & seed eaters! #Paleontology #fossils
@societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social @paleosoc.bsky.social @oupaleobiology.bsky.social
10.1016/j.palaeo.2026.113585
Download our LDA 3D plot here: drive.google.com/file/d/1hwVw...
Mati Armella
Mati Armella
Mati Armella
Video
Feature story in PNAS!! Tooth structure isn’t always a good indicator of diet in ancient animals | Journal Club | PNAS www.pnas.org/post/journal...
Thanks for your comment @therhinoscaros.bsky.social!!
Happy to be participating in the CAPA 2025, in #Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina. 🤩 Presenting our works on south american native ungulates. Always a pleasure to share science and connect with colleagues. Great week!
#Paleontology #FossilFriday @thepalass.bsky.social
#FossilFriday Ever-growing teeth don't always mean a grass diet! New microwear analysis reveals pachyrukhines, curious rodent-like fossil mammals, were primarily fruit & seed eaters 🍴, overturning traditional assumptions. 10.0.3.248/j.palaeo.202...
@palaeontosoc.bsky.social @thepalass.bsky.social
#FossilFriday HUGE news!
We're thrilled to announce the JAPV!
📍 Tucumán, Argentina
🗓 May 2026
Mark your calendars for the premier meeting on fossil vertebrates! Researchers, students, enthusiasts—get ready!
@societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social @thepalass.bsky.social @therhinoscaros.bsky.social
Mati Armella
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What makes South American Ungulates so unique?🦏🍃 #FossilFriday
Check out our new comprehensive combined-evidence #phylogeny of #Toxodontidae!!! #Paleontology #Evolution #Fossils #Argentina #CONICET
doi.org/10.1111/cla....
Extinct South American pachyrukhines were mammals with tall teeth thought to be optimized for grazing. They probably looked a lot like these modern maras. Image credit: Shutterstock/Mariano Jedrzejews...
Pangolins possess a spectacular, dense network of diploic veins for brain drainage!
In our latest study, we show that this pattern may also provide rare morphological evidence linking pangolins and carnivorans in the Ferae clade.
Check it out here: academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/a...
