Times are displayed in (UTC-06:00) Mountain Time (US & Canada)Change
37-19 A new occurrence of Didelphodon in Dawson County, Montana
Session: Geoscience Research Poster Showcase by 2YC and 4YCU Undergraduate Students
Poster Booth No.: 142
Presenting Author:
Kasidee Fuller
Author:
Fuller, Kasidee1
(1) Minot State University, Minot, ND, ,
Abstract:
Cretaceous mammals are important in the history of life as some of them survived the catastrophic end-Cretaceous extinction and are the ancestors of modern mammals. Recovery of a mammalian jawbone with differentiated dentition from the Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation at Baisch Dinosaur Ranch near Glendive, Montana, has led to an investigation into its identity and taxonomy. The jaw is a right ramus that is broken into four pieces, with 4 articulated teeth, two molars and two premolars. The differentiated dentition strongly suggests that the animal is a mammal, and may be assigned to the genus Didelphodon. Comparison of anatomy of the specimen, and other established species of small Cretaceous mammals, as well as identification of key diagnostic features within the specimen will allow full description and identification of the fossil.