tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460788270738656369.post3103317535676945712..comments2023-12-24T07:02:43.274+08:00Comments on Catalogue of Organisms: The Rise and Fall of the Multi-cuspedChristopher Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11075565866351612441noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460788270738656369.post-44361816979760591172014-07-04T13:08:37.949+08:002014-07-04T13:08:37.949+08:00I'm inclined to agree with you on that one, Ni...I'm inclined to agree with you on that one, Nick.Christopher Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11075565866351612441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460788270738656369.post-90611629340456814982014-07-03T02:34:42.028+08:002014-07-03T02:34:42.028+08:00" At present, an independent origin of multis..." At present, an independent origin of multis and haramiyidans seems more likely, but it could easily be upset by future discoveries. "<br /><br />Three years later, the stem-mammal placement for haramiyidans continues to look like the best solution. <i>Arboroharamiya</i> is a basal multi, not a haramiyidan.Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08718847558790015112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460788270738656369.post-41404062278645475472011-04-13T22:41:39.365+08:002011-04-13T22:41:39.365+08:00The super-narrow pelvis also argues against egg-la...The super-narrow pelvis also argues against egg-laying: to be small enough to pass through, the egg would have to be considerably smaller relative to adult size than any known amniote egg. So it does seem most likely that multis bore live (though exceedingly small) young, just like marsupials. I do agree that it is a good point in favour of stem-therian-ness (and that does seem more likely to me than the haramiyid connection), but there are two points I would keep in mind: (1) viviparity has appeared in amniotes more than once (in fact, I think the number of appearances may be well into the double figures among lizards), and (2) monotremes have pouches as well, so pouches were probably around in the mammalian lineage before viviparity.Christopher Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11075565866351612441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460788270738656369.post-24339406417242105532011-04-13T21:51:59.092+08:002011-04-13T21:51:59.092+08:00This may have been related to their reproductive b...<i>This may have been related to their reproductive biology: multituberculates had extremely narrow and rigid pelvic girdles that could not have spread much during birth, and they must have produced extremely small young in a similar manner to modern marsupials (Kielan-Jaworowska et al. 2004).</i><br /><br />Is it known if they bore live young? I guess if they did, that'd be a strong argument for their being stem-therians?Andreas Johanssonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08802392912541974977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460788270738656369.post-26482930656845880102011-04-12T20:31:49.941+08:002011-04-12T20:31:49.941+08:00I must confess, I didn't know that. All the on...I must confess, I didn't know that. All the ones that I'd noticed size estimates for were in the range of <i>Kamptobaatar</i> at the top there.<br /><br />By the way, does anyone else see the silhouette of Barney the Dinosaur in the skull's eyesocket?Christopher Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11075565866351612441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460788270738656369.post-77342915390766049362011-04-12T17:13:36.559+08:002011-04-12T17:13:36.559+08:00"Multituberculates (multis to their friends) ..."<i>Multituberculates (multis to their friends) were a group of small, vaguely rat-like mammaliaforms</i>"<br /><br />Not all of them were particularly small, though. <i>Taeniolabis</i>, for example, is estimated to have weighed about 30 kg, and it was thus similar in size to an extant beaver or a wombat.Dartiannoreply@blogger.com