Kollikodon
{{Short description|Extinct genus of mammals}}
{{Speciesbox
| fossil_range = Cenomanian, {{fossilrange|99|96}}
| image = Kollikodon.fossil.jpg
| image_caption = Opalised jaw of Kollikodon (backlit)
| display_parents = 4
| genus = Kollikodon
| parent_authority = Flannery, Archer, Rich & Jones, 1995
| species = ritchiei
| authority = Flannery, Archer, Rich & Jones, 1995{{cite journal |last1=Flannery |first1=Timothy F. |last2=Archer |first2=Michael |last3=Rich |first3=Thomas H. |last4=Jones |first4=Robert |year=1995 |title=A new family of monotremes from the Cretaceous of Australia |journal=Nature |volume=377 |issue=6548 |pages=418–420 |name-list-style=amp |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232763255 |doi=10.1038/377418a0|s2cid=4301982 }}
| synonyms =
- Hotcrossbunodon (informal)
}}
Kollikodon is an extinct species of mammal, considered to be an early monotreme.{{Cite journal |last=Flannery |first=Timothy F. |last2=Rich |first2=Thomas H. |last3=Vickers-Rich |first3=Patricia |last4=Ziegler |first4=Tim |last5=Veatch |first5=E. Grace |last6=Helgen |first6=Kristofer M. |date=2022-01-02 |title=A review of monotreme (Monotremata) evolution |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03115518.2022.2025900 |journal=Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology |language=en |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=3–20 |doi=10.1080/03115518.2022.2025900 |issn=0311-5518|doi-access=free }} It is known only from an opalised dentary fragment, with one premolar and two molars in situ, as well as a referred maxillary fragment containing the last premolar and all four molars. The fossils were found in the Griman Creek Formation at Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia. Kollikodon lived in the Late Cretaceous period, during the Cenomanian age (99–96 million years ago). Several other monotremes are known from the Griman Creek Formation, including Dharragarra, Opalios, Parvopalus, Steropodon, and Stirtodon.{{Cite journal |last1=Flannery |first1=Timothy F. |author-link1=Tim Flannery |last2=McCurry |first2=Matthew R. |last3=Rich |first3=Thomas H. |author-link3=Tom Rich |last4=Vickers-Rich |first4=Patricia |author-link4=Patricia Vickers-Rich |last5=Smith |first5=Elizabeth T. |last6=Helgen |first6=Kristofer M. |date=2024-05-26 |title=A diverse assemblage of monotremes (Monotremata) from the Cenomanian Lightning Ridge fauna of New South Wales, Australia |journal=Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology |language=en |pages=1–19 |doi=10.1080/03115518.2024.2348753 |issn=0311-5518|doi-access=free }}
Etymology
Kollix is an ancient Greek word (κολλίξ) for a bread roll. The strange teeth of Kollikodon, when seen from above, resemble hot cross buns, traditionally toasted and eaten on Good Friday. Originally, Michael Archer wanted to name it "Hotcrossbunodon", but met disapproval from his associates.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=92yhnRHdxSoC&q=Hotcrossbunodon&pg=PA39 |title=Prehistoric mammals of Australia and New Guinea: One hundred million years of evolution |first1=John A. |last1=Long |first2=Michael |last2=Archer |first3=Timothy |last3=Flannery |first4=Suzanne |last4=Hand |page=39 |year=2002 |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=Baltimore, Maryland |isbn=978-0801872235 |name-list-style=amp}}
Description
Like Steropodon, Kollikodon was a relatively large mammal for the Mesozoic. The molars have a length of around 5.5 mm and a width of between about 4 and 6 mm.{{cite journal |last1=Clemens |first1=William A. |first2=Gregory P. |last2=Wilson |first3=Ralph E. |last3=Molnar |title=An enigmatic (Synapsid?) tooth from the Early Cretaceous of New South Wales, Australia |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=232–237 |doi=10.1671/0272-4634(2003)23[232:AESTFT]2.0.CO;2 |year=2003 |s2cid=131689322 |url=http://doc.rero.ch/record/15171/files/PAL_E2446.pdf |name-list-style=amp}} Based upon these data, the potential body length could be up to a metre.{{cite journal |first=Anne |last=Weil |title=Mammalian palaeobiology: Living large in the Cretaceous |journal=Nature |volume=433 |pages=116–117 |date=2005|issue=7022 |doi=10.1038/433116b|pmid=15650725 |s2cid=52869101 |publication-date=2005-01-12}} Assuming the accuracy of such a guess, Kollikodon would be a contender for the largest Mesozoic mammal known, along with other possible giants such as Repenomamus, Schowalteria, and Bubodens.
Aside from its size, it is difficult to say what Kollikodon looked like. It is certain that its teeth were specialised to crush food, being perhaps a shellfish-eater or herbivore. The description of the upper jaw showed that it was strongly specialised, with molars being subdivided into numerous rounded cuspules, some of which exhibit pits, possibly the result of crushing hard items.{{Cite journal |last1=Pian |first1=Rebecca |last2=Archer |first2=Michael |last3=Hand |first3=Suzanne J. |last4=Beck |first4=Robin M.D. |last5=Cody |first5=Andrew |date=2016 |title=The upper dentition and relationships of the enigmatic Australian Cretaceous mammal Kollikodon ritchiei |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/195164951.pdf |journal=Memoirs of Museum Victoria |volume=74 |pages=97–105 |doi=10.24199/j.mmv.2016.74.10 |issn=1447-2546 |doi-access=free |name-list-style=amp }}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
In museums
Both Kollikodon and Steropodon can be found at the Australian Museum in Sydney, along with Eric, the opalised pliosaur.
{{Portal|Paleontology}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Wikispecies|Kollikodon}}
- [http://www.amonline.net.au/fossil_sites/lightning.htm Australian Museum online: Lightning Ridge] Opal fossils from Oz.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20040427213108/http://www.austmus.gov.au/platypus/index.htm Australian Museum online] Some observations on Hotcrossbunidon.
- [http://www.amonline.net.au/collections/highlights.htm Australian Museum online, Collection Highlights]
{{Mammaliaformes|Y.}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q131958}}
Category:Prehistoric monotremes
Category:Cretaceous mammals of Australia