First Multituberculate Mammals From The Lower Cretaceous Of Germany

Multituberculata from the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian-Aptian) Balve locality in Germany are represented by two taxa, the pinheirodontid Bructerodon alatus gen. et sp. nov. and the eobaatarid Cheruscodon balvensis gen. et sp. nov. Bructerodon alatus gen. et sp. nov. is known from an upper premolar (P5) and an upper molar (M1) with a distinct distolingual wing showing three cusps. Cheruscodon balvensis gen. et sp. nov. is represented by a dentary fragment with p4 and isolated teeth (P1, p4, m2). The new taxon is similar to other eobaatarids by its small single-rooted p2, double-routed p3, p4 with a single distolabial cusp, and mesio-distally asymmetric lower molars. It differs from most other eobaatarids by a larger number of serrations (11) and a larger distolabial cusp on p4. Cheruscodon gen. nov. is similar to Arginbaatar from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia in having the roots of p4 exposed above the alveolar border and a mesially curved distal root of p4. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.