Vincelestes
Encyclopedia
Vincelestes is an extinct genus of actively mobile mammal, that lived in what would be South America
during the Early Cretaceous
from 130—112 mya, existing for approximately .
Vincelestes neuquenianus is the only species known to date. Specimens were found at La Amarga Formation
of southern Neuquén Province, Argentina
. Only nine individuals were recovered from this site.
The back teeth of Vincelestes were similar to those of therian
s in that they were capable of cutting and grinding. This enabled them to process food more efficiently. Although not the direct ancestor of therians, Vincelestes is important because it gives us an idea of what the ancestor of both placental and marsupial
mammals might have looked like, and also gives an indication of when these mammals may have originated.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
during the Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous...
from 130—112 mya, existing for approximately .
Vincelestes neuquenianus is the only species known to date. Specimens were found at La Amarga Formation
La Amarga Formation
The La Amarga Formation is a geologic formation with outcrops in the Argentine provinces of Río Negro, Neuquén, and Mendoza. It is the oldest Cretaceous terrestrial formation in the Neuquén Basin....
of southern Neuquén Province, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Only nine individuals were recovered from this site.
The back teeth of Vincelestes were similar to those of therian
Therian
Therian in the English language has two distinct definitions:* In taxonomy, the term refers to a member of the Mammalia subclass Theria, consisting of marsupial and placental mammals....
s in that they were capable of cutting and grinding. This enabled them to process food more efficiently. Although not the direct ancestor of therians, Vincelestes is important because it gives us an idea of what the ancestor of both placental and marsupial
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
mammals might have looked like, and also gives an indication of when these mammals may have originated.