1 / 63

Mammalian Radiations in the Cenozoic Era

Explore the diverse radiations of mammals in the Cenozoic era, including the evolution of marsupials, birds, and xenarthrans. Discover how these animals filled various ecological niches and became top predators.

celesteb
Download Presentation

Mammalian Radiations in the Cenozoic Era

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya)

  2. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) Anthropocene 0.005

  3. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) The major groups of mammals had evolved in the Jurassic and Cretaceous.

  4. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) The extinction of the dinosaurs opened many niches, but the mammals were hammered by extinctions, too.

  5. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) Who Makes it? - Monotremes Platypus 2 species of Echidna

  6. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) Small mammals quickly radiate into most ecological niches except large predators. K T K T

  7. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) In the absence of dinosaurs, the birds radiated: Terror Birds! seed eater? Gastornis in NA/Asia

  8. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) In the absence of dinosaurs, the birds radiated: Terror Birds!! Phorusrhacids in SA: Top Predators

  9. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) In the absence of dinosaurs, the birds radiated: Terror Birds!!! Phorusrhacids in SA: Top Predators Largest one yet, found in Argentina in Oct. 2006, probably stood over 10 feet tall. Chiappe and Bertelli. 2006. Nature 443:929. 2.3 ft Kelenken guillermoi condor

  10. Kelenken guillermoi

  11. Diverse and abundant, lasting until ~ 10 mya (Middle Miocene).

  12. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) MAMMALIAN RADIATIONS:

  13. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) The nature of these radiations varied on the different, separated continents

  14. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) The earliest marsupials evolved in North America, but the were practically wiped out there at the K-T. They didn't recover in NA, but weathered the K-T (and ultimately dominated the fauna) in the southern supercontinent of SA, Antarctica, and Australia, eventually radiating into all ecological niches. late Cretaceous Alphodon, a Didelphiformian (common marsupial group)

  15. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) The earliest Cenozoic marsupials are in SA (Paleocene), but by the Eocene they are present in Antarctica and Australia. They begin as insectivores... Argyrolagus (SA)

  16. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) then radiate as large herbivores (in Australia, primarily)... Diprotodon

  17. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) and finally radiate as top predators. 'cat-like' Thylacoleo Marsupial "Lion" (Australia) Plio-and Pleistocene (6-2 mya)

  18. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) and finally radiate as top predators. 'cat-like' Thylacosmilus (SA and Australia)

  19. Borhyaena (SA) IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) and finally radiate as top predators. 'Dog-like' Thylacine (Australia)

  20. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) In the isolation of Australia, they radiated to fill all mammalian niches: “teddy bear” niche 45 species of terrestrial herbivores (Wallabies and Kangaroos Insectivore Nectarivore Honey Possum Fossorial

  21. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) In the isolation of Australia, they radiated to fill all mammalian niches: Arboreal Glider Arboreal Herbivore/Frugivore brush-tailed Possum

  22. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) In the isolation of Australia, they radiated to fill all mammalian niches: 'cat-like' Predator Quolls (several species)

  23. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) In the isolation of Australia, they radiated to fill all mammalian niches: Video – last thylacine (died in Hobart Zoo, 1936) 'dog-like' Predator

  24. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) In the isolation of Australia, they radiated to fill all mammalian niches: Omnivore/Scavenger Tasmanian Devil

  25. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) In SA, in addition to the marsupials, there were placental mammals - but only radiating as large herbivores: Toxodon

  26. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) and a notable mammalian clade, the Xenarthans - Sloths, Armadillos, Anteaters - were diverse and abundant in SA faunas: Glyptodon Megatherium

  27. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) and an Africarabian fauna evolved in isolation on Africa/Arabia - the modern group called that Afrotheria: Elephant Shrews Aardvarks Hyraxes Golden Moles Elephants Tenrecs

  28. Kriegs JO, Churakov G, Kiefmann M, Jordan U, Brosius J, et al. (2006) Retroposed elements as archives for the evolutionary history of placental mammals. PLoS Biol 4(4): e91.

  29. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Paleocene (65-55 mya) The multituberculates dominated the "rodent niche" in northern continents. Ptilodus

  30. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Paleocene (65-55 mya) The first large herbivores were Pantodonts... including Titanoides and Coryphodon. There are few direct adaptations to an herbivorous lifestyle Ptilodus

  31. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Paleocene (65-55 mya) A major clade of early mammals were the Condylarths – omnivores ancestral to the modern ungulates (Artiodactyls and Perissiodactlys) and carnivorous Mesonychids. Phenocodus

  32. Artiodactyls Condylarths Perissodactyls Mesonychids Carnivora Creodonts

  33. Modern Carnivora descend from the Paleocene family: Miacidae

  34. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Paleocene (65-55 mya) Oldest Primate (at least 55 mya): Archicebus Achilles From China, Described June 2013

  35. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Eocene (54-38 mya) Many modern groups evolve in the northern continents: Artiodactyls and Perrissiodactyls replace condylarths proto- horses (Hyracotherium), tapirs, rhinoceroses, and camels, and whales (Basilosaurus) evolve.

  36. Mesonychids - Andrewsarchus 3 – ft skull

  37. Whale Evolution

  38. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Eocene (54-38 mya) Icaronycterus index

  39. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Eocene (54-38 mya) Many modern groups evolve in the northern continents: creodonts replaced large birds as major predators

  40. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Oligocene (38-24 mya) a cooling period, creating savannahs - grazers and browsers radiate grasses evolve Mesohippus Calicotherium

  41. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Oligocene (38-24 mya) a cooling period, creating savannahs - grazers and browsers radiate Arsinotherium

  42. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Oligocene (38-24 mya) a cooling period, creating savannahs - browsers radiate Indricotherium (Baluchitherium) Largest land mammal

  43. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Oligocene (38-24 mya) Titanotheres

  44. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Oligocene (38-24 mya)

  45. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Miocene (24 - 5 mya)

  46. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Miocene (24-5 mya) Extensification of grassland habitats Radiation of grazer fauna: camelids, horse ancestors, cervids, rhinos

  47. IV. Cenozoic (65 - 0 mya) - Miocene (24 - 5 mya) True Dog and Cat Carnivores replace creodonts

More Related