Argentoconodon

 ( Eutriconodonta ) 

Argentoconodon (meaning "Argentina cone teeth") is an extinct genus of Theriimorpha mammal from the Cañadón Asfalto Formation of the Cañadón Asfalto Basin in Patagonia. When originally described, it was known only from a single molariform tooth, which possessed a combination of primitive and Synapomorphy features. The tooth is currently held in the Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio, where it was given the specimen number MPEF-PV 1877. New material described in 2011 show that Argentoconodon was similar to Ichthyoconodon, Jugulator and Volaticotherium within the family Triconodontidae, and possibly also Triconolestes.

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Aerial locomotion Several postcranial similarities to Volaticotherium suggest that Argentoconodon was capable of gliding. In particular, its femur shares the same shape and proportions as its more complete relative, being highly specialised and without a femoral head, being less competent in rotational movement but more useful in extending the leg and resisting flight stresses.

Argentoconodon's spatio-temporal distribution has been noted as being unusual, in that it is not only a rare Early Jurassic eutriconodont, but also one of the only two members of this group, the other being the slightly younger Condorodon; other mammals in the Cañadon Asfalto Formation are various and a putative allothere. This has been considered worthy of interest in the future.

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Diet

Like most eutriconodonts Argentoconodon was most likely animalivorous, its molars adapted to shear. In a study detailing Mesozoic mammal diets it ranks among carnivorous species. This is further corroborated by another study on Mesozoic mammal mandibles, where in plots among carnivorous rather than insectivorous taxa.

Categories: Eutriconodonta, Gliding Animals, Jurassic Mammals Of South America, Jurassic Argentina, Fossils Of Argentina, Cañadón Asfalto Formation, Fossil Taxa Described In 2007, Taxa Named By Guillermo W. Rougier, Taxa Named By Alberto Garrido, Taxa Named By Leandro Gaetano, Taxa Named By Pablo F. Puerta, Taxa Named By Cynthia Corbitt, Taxa Named By Michael J. Novacek, Monotypic Prehistoric Mammal Genera

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