Liaoconodon

Le-ow-con-o-don.
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Harper Gray

Paleoartist

Harper Grey combines artistic talent with scientific precision to bring extinct creatures and environments back to life. Collaborating closely with paleontologists

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Name

Liaoconodon ‭(‬Liaoning cone tooth‭)‬.

Phonetic

Le-ow-con-o-don.

Named By

J.‭ ‬Meng,‭ ‬Y.‭ ‬Wang‭ & ‬C.‭ ‬Li‭ ‬-‭ ‬2011.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Eutriconodonta.

Diet

Insectivore?/Carnivore?

Species

L.‭ ‬hui‭

Size

Roughly about‭ ‬30‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

China,‭ ‬Liaoning‭ ‬-‭ ‬Jiufotang Formation.

Time Period

Aptian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Almost complete individual.

In Depth

       Liaoconodon is an interesting genus of mammal that lived in China during the latter half of the early Cretaceous.‭ ‬The ear structure of Liaoconodon has‭ ‬been identified as being transitional,‭ ‬helping to reveal how primitive ear structures in mammals developed to what we see in later more advanced forms.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Transitional mammalian middle ear from a new Cretaceous Jehol eutriconodont.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Nature‭ ‬472:181-185.‭ ‬-‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Meng,‭ ‬Y.‭ ‬Wang‭ & ‬C.‭ ‬Li‭ ‬-‭ ‬2011.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT