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16h ago

New Giant ‘Possum’ Species Discovered in Big Bend National Park

Published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, the study places the new species as the largest, youngest, most southerly Swaindelphys, inviting research into ancient geographic barriers that shaped early mammal dispersal.

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Overview

  • University of Kansas paleontologists described Swaindelphys solastella based on specimens originally collected by Judith Schiebout decades ago in Big Bend National Park.
  • Swaindelphys solastella exceeds previously known Paleocene metatherian sizes, making it the largest Swaindelphys and the most southerly and youngest species on record.
  • Specimens were excavated from fluvial deposits that point to a warmer, tropical and densely vegetated landscape in the region 60 million years ago.
  • The findings, published this month in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, underscore greater mammalian diversity in North America’s early post-dinosaur ecosystems.
  • Ongoing research will test hypotheses that ancient rivers and topographical divides acted as barriers shaping the spread of early mammals and primate ancestors.