#alphadon

[princefluph]

I can only imagine what it was like for small mammals during the time of the dinosaurs. Being the size of a rat like Alphadon was during a time where animals grew to titanic proportions must have been stressful. Though, to be fair, Im not entirely sure how much animals like Dreadnoughtus would want with a small saber-toothed tree creature. Still must be jarring to be yelled at when all you want is a salad.

[extinctworld-ua]

Alphadon

Alphadon — вимерлий рід дрібних примітивних ссавців, який належав до метатеріїв, групи ссавців, до якої входять сучасні сумчасті. Його скам’янілості вперше виявив і назвав Джордж Гейлорд Сімпсон (George Gaylord Simpson) у 1929 році.

Повний текст на сайті "Вимерлий світ":

https://extinctworld.in.ua/alphadon/

[adamworks]

Hi there!

Recent commision for the new book “Escape from the Cretaceous” you can check the book right here.

[usik-paleo-illust]

Non-dinosaur

🦇Quetzalcoatlus & Alphadon🐹

[si-nequal-is]

Alphadon leave out hungry Stenonychosaurus.

[amorousdino]

“Animal Protein Supplement” An acrylic painting I did of a Euoplocephalus about to eat a dead Alphadon. Herbivores are known to supplement their diets from time to time with meat, so I depicted that behavior here. For better look go to my DeviantArt and Facebook pages. #euoplocephalus #ankylosaurus #ankylosaur #dinosaur #dinosaurart #paleoart #paleontology #paleobiology #art #traditionalart #traditionalpainting #painting #acrylicpainting #acrylics #drawing #animals #animalart #animalanatomy #animalbehavior #anatomy #wildlife #wildlifeart #wildlifepainting #alphadon #marsupials #finished

[si-nequal-is]

Stenonychosaurus with a pair of Alphadon.

[thetorterra]

Prehistoric Creature of the Week: Alphadon marshi

(source. Technically from Cox 1998 but I digress)

Hey there, dear readers! Jasper here, and this week, I bring you...an opossum?! “I thought this was “PREHISTORIC creature of the week!” you yell. However, not only are opossums pretty ancient themselves, this critter is actually a fossil species. Let’s go and explore Alphadon!

Pronunciation: AL-fa-don MAR-shy

Means: Marsh’s First Tooth

Location: North America, from Alberta, Canada south to New Mexico, USA. Specific formations include Lance, Hell Creek, and Ojo Alamo.

Time: 66 million years ago, Maastrichtian stage, Late Cretaceous

Size: Estimated to be 30 centimeters, or about 12 inches.

Other pertinent info:

Alphadon is an interesting creature, though not much is known about it. It has been compared to the modern opossum in a number of ways by palaeontologists, which fits because both are small North American marsupials. All that is known of the creature are teeth. However, just a single tooth can be enough for a palaeontologist specializing in mammals, because every species and genus has a unique dentition. Returning to Alphadon, nine species are known from fossils. This just goes to show how individual mammal teeth really are. Alphadon’s teeth indicate an omnivorous diet, with items ranging from fruit to insects on the menu. 

(Source)

The animal was first discovered by world-famous palaeontologist George Gaylord Simpson in the year 1929. It would have coexisted with many dinosaurs across its range, including Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Ankylosaurus, and Alamosaurus, among many others. Its main predators probably would have been small carnivorous dinosaurs, such as Acheroraptor and various troodonts. It’s likely that because of all these large animals and potential predators, Alphadon hung out in trees or burrows at daytime, coming out at nighttime to hunt for prey.

Sources:

Prehistoric-Wildlife

Wikipedia

Come back next week for the ORIGINAL “Missing Link!”