Gobiconodon gongzhulingensis, new species from Upper Cretaceous of China + polycotylids from Chile (free pdfs)
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Ben Creisler
Apr 25, 2026, 6:25:20 PM (yesterday) Apr 25
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Ben Creisler
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Recent papers not yet mentioned:
Free pdf:
Gobiconodon gongzhulingensis sp. nov.
Wenhao Wu, Fangyuan Mao, Jun Chen, and Jin Meng (2026)
A new gobiconodontid mammal from Upper Cretaceous of China and reassessment of dentition in Gobiconodon
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 71(2): 193-210
doi:10.4202/app.01313.2025
https://app.pan.pl/article/item/app013132025.html
Free pdf:
https://app.pan.pl/archive/published/app71/app013132025.pdf
We provide a detailed description of the dental morphology of Gobiconodon zofiae based on the holotype and clarify its diagnostic features in comparison with other species in the genus. We also report a new species, Gobiconodon gongzhulingensis sp. nov., from the lower Upper Cretaceous Quantou Formation in Gongzhuling City, Jilin Province, based on a maxilla with five molariforms. The dental morphologies of both species allow us to reassess tooth assignments in Gobiconodon and support a dental formula of 2.1.3.4/2.1.3.5 for the genus. The molariforms of Gobiconodon exhibit a distinct type of tooth widening that is achieved primarily through cusp inflation, without pronounced cusp rotation or the addition of new cusps. In addition to the differences in occlusal pattern, embrasure shearing dominated by an orthal power stroke, accompanied by a labiolingually directed component of relative displacement of the lower teeth during mastication also distinguishes Gobiconodon from other eutriconodontans, particularly triconodontids, suggesting an insectivorous and/or omnivorous diet for Gobiconodon. The tooth shapes and wear patterns described here indicate diverse ecomorphological specializations and species diversification within eutriconodontans.
Wenhao Wu, Fangyuan Mao, Jun Chen, and Jin Meng (2026)
A new gobiconodontid mammal from Upper Cretaceous of China and reassessment of dentition in Gobiconodon
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 71(2): 193-210
doi:10.4202/app.01313.2025
https://app.pan.pl/article/item/app013132025.html
Free pdf:
https://app.pan.pl/archive/published/app71/app013132025.pdf
We provide a detailed description of the dental morphology of Gobiconodon zofiae based on the holotype and clarify its diagnostic features in comparison with other species in the genus. We also report a new species, Gobiconodon gongzhulingensis sp. nov., from the lower Upper Cretaceous Quantou Formation in Gongzhuling City, Jilin Province, based on a maxilla with five molariforms. The dental morphologies of both species allow us to reassess tooth assignments in Gobiconodon and support a dental formula of 2.1.3.4/2.1.3.5 for the genus. The molariforms of Gobiconodon exhibit a distinct type of tooth widening that is achieved primarily through cusp inflation, without pronounced cusp rotation or the addition of new cusps. In addition to the differences in occlusal pattern, embrasure shearing dominated by an orthal power stroke, accompanied by a labiolingually directed component of relative displacement of the lower teeth during mastication also distinguishes Gobiconodon from other eutriconodontans, particularly triconodontids, suggesting an insectivorous and/or omnivorous diet for Gobiconodon. The tooth shapes and wear patterns described here indicate diverse ecomorphological specializations and species diversification within eutriconodontans.
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Free pdf:
Sergio Soto Acuña (2026)
Reappraisal of the fossil record of Polycotylidae (Sauropterygia: Plesiosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous of Chile.
Andean Geology 53(2): (in press)
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5027/andgeo%25x
https://www.andeangeology.cl/index.php/revista1/article/view/V53n2-3848
Free pdf:
https://www.andeangeology.cl/index.php/revista1/article/view/V53n2-3848/pdf_1
The polycotylids, mostly short-necked plesiosaurs, were a singular clade of marine reptiles which fossil record is known at least from the Albian to the Maastrichtian, with an almost cosmopolitan geographical distribution. In southern continents, the presence of this group has remained poorly documented, and except for some specimens, most records are limited to fragmentary material. Reports on the presence of this group in South America are infrequent, particularly in Chile, and these have been preliminary described. In this work, a critical review of the fossil record of Upper Cretaceous polycotylids from Chile is carried out. Previous putative reports of the group in the Quiriquina Formation (Maastrichtian) of the Arauco Basin (central Chile) were exclusively supported by misidentified axial elements positively belonging to elasmosaurid plesiosaurs, and therefore, are dismissed here. On the contrary, the presence of Polycotylidae is confirmed in Campanian-Maastrichtian levels of the Dorotea Formation, in the Magallanes Basin. Additionally, specimens previously referred to Elasmosauridae from the Dorotea Formation, are here reassessed to Polycotylidae, adding a new locality with the presence of this group in Chile. The pattern of taxonomic diversity, including polycotylids together with the abundant presence of mostly non-aristonectine elasmosaurs in the Magallanes Basin is similar to that observed in upper Campanian-lower Maastrichtian localities of Argentinean Patagonia and Antarctica, but different from that observed in the upper Maastrichtian Quiriquina Formation, where aristonectine elasmosaurs dominate the plesiosaur fauna. Polycotylids of equivalent age have also been described in other regions of the Gondwana, like New Zealand. The presence of this group at the end of the Cretaceous at high latitudes in austral continents is relevant and suggest some Weddellian biogeographic pattern in this clade before the K/Pg extinction.
Sergio Soto Acuña (2026)
Reappraisal of the fossil record of Polycotylidae (Sauropterygia: Plesiosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous of Chile.
Andean Geology 53(2): (in press)
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5027/andgeo%25x
https://www.andeangeology.cl/index.php/revista1/article/view/V53n2-3848
Free pdf:
https://www.andeangeology.cl/index.php/revista1/article/view/V53n2-3848/pdf_1
The polycotylids, mostly short-necked plesiosaurs, were a singular clade of marine reptiles which fossil record is known at least from the Albian to the Maastrichtian, with an almost cosmopolitan geographical distribution. In southern continents, the presence of this group has remained poorly documented, and except for some specimens, most records are limited to fragmentary material. Reports on the presence of this group in South America are infrequent, particularly in Chile, and these have been preliminary described. In this work, a critical review of the fossil record of Upper Cretaceous polycotylids from Chile is carried out. Previous putative reports of the group in the Quiriquina Formation (Maastrichtian) of the Arauco Basin (central Chile) were exclusively supported by misidentified axial elements positively belonging to elasmosaurid plesiosaurs, and therefore, are dismissed here. On the contrary, the presence of Polycotylidae is confirmed in Campanian-Maastrichtian levels of the Dorotea Formation, in the Magallanes Basin. Additionally, specimens previously referred to Elasmosauridae from the Dorotea Formation, are here reassessed to Polycotylidae, adding a new locality with the presence of this group in Chile. The pattern of taxonomic diversity, including polycotylids together with the abundant presence of mostly non-aristonectine elasmosaurs in the Magallanes Basin is similar to that observed in upper Campanian-lower Maastrichtian localities of Argentinean Patagonia and Antarctica, but different from that observed in the upper Maastrichtian Quiriquina Formation, where aristonectine elasmosaurs dominate the plesiosaur fauna. Polycotylids of equivalent age have also been described in other regions of the Gondwana, like New Zealand. The presence of this group at the end of the Cretaceous at high latitudes in austral continents is relevant and suggest some Weddellian biogeographic pattern in this clade before the K/Pg extinction.
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