Bisonalveus browni
Encyclopedia
Bisonalveus is an extinct mammal
once believed to be related to the modern pangolin
.
It was discovered in 1956 in Alberta
, Canada
. It is known primarily from fossil jaws dating back 60 million years ago, during the Palaeocene epoch. This ancient mammal was probably something like our modern shrews.
Interestingly, the canine teeth in Bisonalveus have grooves that may have been used for delivering a venomous bite. The canines that would contain venom do not correspond with the lower jaw, rendering these teeth as deadly fangs, as in many species of venomous snakes. There are few modern mammals that are venomous. The male platypus
has a hollow foot spur attached to a venom sac. The only other venomous mammals
are four species of shrew
and the two species of solenodon which have venomous saliva, and the slow loris
which has poison glands on its arms. Possibly like the modern solenodon, Bisonalveus bit its victims to inject its toxic saliva and buried the remains in a cache for later consumption. However, because other nonvenomous mammals, such as baboons and other primates, have similar grooves some scientists have questioned whether these grooves truly indicate venom delivery.
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
once believed to be related to the modern pangolin
Pangolin
A pangolin , also scaly anteater or Trenggiling, is a mammal of the order Pholidota. There is only one extant family and one genus of pangolins, comprising eight species. There are also a number of extinct taxa. Pangolins have large keratin scales covering their skin and are the only mammals with...
.
It was discovered in 1956 in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is known primarily from fossil jaws dating back 60 million years ago, during the Palaeocene epoch. This ancient mammal was probably something like our modern shrews.
Interestingly, the canine teeth in Bisonalveus have grooves that may have been used for delivering a venomous bite. The canines that would contain venom do not correspond with the lower jaw, rendering these teeth as deadly fangs, as in many species of venomous snakes. There are few modern mammals that are venomous. The male platypus
Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
has a hollow foot spur attached to a venom sac. The only other venomous mammals
Venomous mammals
Venomous mammals are animals of the class Mammalia that produce venom, which they use to kill or disable prey, or to defend themselves from predators. In modern nature, venomous mammals are quite rare. Venom is much more common among other vertebrates; there are many more species of venomous...
are four species of shrew
Shrew
A shrew or shrew mouse is a small molelike mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha. True shrews are also not to be confused with West Indies shrews, treeshrews, otter shrews, or elephant shrews, which belong to different families or orders.Although its external appearance is generally that of...
and the two species of solenodon which have venomous saliva, and the slow loris
Slow loris
Slow lorises are a group of five species of strepsirrhine primates which make up the genus Nycticebus. Found in South and Southeast Asia, they range from Northeast India in the west to the Philippines in the east, and from the Yunnan province in China in the north to the island of Java in the south...
which has poison glands on its arms. Possibly like the modern solenodon, Bisonalveus bit its victims to inject its toxic saliva and buried the remains in a cache for later consumption. However, because other nonvenomous mammals, such as baboons and other primates, have similar grooves some scientists have questioned whether these grooves truly indicate venom delivery.