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Yaraloidea (Marsupialia, Peramelemorphia), a new superfamily of marsupial and a description and analysis of the cranium of the Miocene Yarala burchfieldi

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2015

Jeanette Muirhead
Jeanette Muirhead*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Science, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052 Australia
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Abstract

The skull of the Miocene Yarala burchfieldi Muirhead and Filan, 1995, is described. Analysis of skull morphology supports phylogenetic conclusions based on dental morphology. Y. burchfieldi shares a number of synapomorphies with other peramelemorphians, some of which are unique and help to define this order of marsupials. Y. burchfieldi is the most plesiomorphic peramelemorphian known. Although sharing some derived characters with a number of extant taxa, Y. burchfieldi lacks synapomorphies that unite all other peramelemorphian taxa as the Superfamily Perameloidea. The Yaraloidea and Yaralidae, a new superfamily and family of peramelemorphians, is proposed and diagnosed on the basis of Y. burchfieldi. Fossil evidence supports the late divergence of perameloids, while peramelemorphian diversity in the Tertiary indicates an ancient derivation for the order.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 74 , Issue 3 , May 2000 , pp. 512 - 523
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 2000

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