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MULTITUBERCULATES



> Multituberculate's were a group of "non-therian" mammals with rodent-
> like incisors (buck-teeth).  They were apparently the ecological
> analogues of living rodents until rodents replaced them in the Eocene.
> They were very diverse and common from the Late Cretaceous through
> the Early Eocene.

(swf@elsegundoca.ncr.com sarima@ix.netcom.com)

Not in contradiction to the above statement, note that many MTBs seem
to have been insectivorous and some may have been truly predatory (see
comments on _Zofiabataar_ in Bakker, Galton, Seigwarth and Filla
1990). The analogy with rodents is not lost, as many extant forms are
insectivorous and some are true carnivores.

Until the Tithonian (last stage of Jurassic), tritylodontid cynodonts
apparently took the small-bodied 'gnawing' niche (though they have
been illustrated eating eggs!), so MTBs were their ecological
successors (though the two groups coexisted in the Jurassic together,
and with other small herbivorous therapsids [who decided to call a
paulchoffatiid _Mojo_?;-)]. It would be interesting to know what
_Chronoperates_ was doing. Any ideas?

"Lifeforms, you precious little lifeforms, you tiny little lifeforms,
where are you?" [bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-beep]

DARREN NAISH