Adalatherium

{{Speciesbox

| fossil_range = Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) {{Fossil range|70|66}}

| image = Adalatherium skull.svg

| image_caption = Restoration of the skull in lateral view

| display_parents = 3

| grandparent_authority = Krause et al, 2020

| parent_authority = Krause et al, 2020

| taxon = Adalatherium hui

| authority = Krause et al, 2020

}}

Adalatherium (Adàla, 'crazy' in Malagasy and therium, 'beast' in Greek) is an extinct gondwanatherian that lived in Madagascar during the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous. The discovery of the first nearly-complete skeleton from the Maevarano Formation was announced in April 2020.{{cite journal |last1=Krause |first1=David W. |last2=Hoffmann |first2=Simone |last3=Hu |first3=Yaoming |last4=Wible |first4=John R. |last5=Rougier |first5=Guillermo W. |last6=Kirk |first6=E. Christopher |last7=Groenke |first7=Joseph R. |last8=Rogers |first8=Raymond R. |last9=Rossie |first9=James B. |last10=Schultz |first10=Julia A. |last11=Evans |first11=Alistair R. |date=2020-04-29 |title=Skeleton of a Cretaceous mammal from Madagascar reflects long-term insularity |journal=Nature |volume=581 |issue=7809 |issn=1476-4687 |doi=10.1038/s41586-020-2234-8 |pages=421–427 |pmid=32461642 |s2cid=216650606 |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2234-8}}

Description

Although the only known fossil is believed to be from a subadult individual, it had a large skull reaching {{convert|8.4|cm|in}} long. Its body length was about {{convert|52|cm|in}}{{Cite web |title=Madagascar's prehistoric 'crazy beast' sheds light on mammalian evolution |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/madagascar-adalatherium-hui-fossil-1673270-2020-05-01 |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=India Today |date=May 2020 |language=en}} and the body mass is estimated between {{convert|1.775 - 5.218|kg|lb}}, making it one the largest known Mesozoic mammals. It is depicted in reconstructions as being built somewhat like a badger. Its skeleton is the most complete of any Gondwanan Mesozoic mammal. Additionally, the front of the skull contains more foramina than any known mammal except Vincelestes.{{Cite journal |last1=Krause |first1=David W. |last2=Hoffmann |first2=Simone |last3=Rossie |first3=James B. |last4=Hu |first4=Yaoming |last5=Wible |first5=John R. |last6=Rougier |first6=Guillermo W. |last7=Kirk |first7=E. Christopher |last8=Groenke |first8=Joseph R. |date=2020-12-14 |title=Craniofacial morphology of Adalatherium hui (Mammalia, Gondwanatheria) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2020.1808665 |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |language=en |volume=40 |issue=sup1 |pages=19–66 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1808665 |s2cid=230968119 |issn=0272-4634|url-access=subscription }}