Yeutherium Temporal range: Late Cretaceous,
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Clade: | †Meridiolestida |
Clade: | †Mesungulatoidea |
Family: | †Reigitheriidae |
Genus: | †Yeutherium Püschel et al., 2025 |
Species: | †Y. pressor
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Binomial name | |
†Yeutherium pressor Püschel et al., 2025
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Yeutherium is an extinct genus of mammal from the Reigitheriidae that lived during the Late Cretaceous (Late Campanian-Maastrichtian). Its fossils have been found in the Dorotea Formation in Chile and the type species is Y. pressor.[1]
Discovery and naming
[edit]The holotype was discovered in the Dorotea Formation in Chile and it consists of a partial maxilla with an associated molar.
Yeutherium pressor was named and described by Püschel et al. (2025).[1]
Description
[edit]Yeutherium was estimated to weigh around 30 ounces (850 g) when fully grown.[2] Its dentition was also specialised towards crushing food.[1]
Classification
[edit]Yeutherium was also found to be close to Reigitherium, and it was subsequently placed into Reigitheriidae as only the second genus in the family.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Püschel, H. P.; Martinelli, A. G.; Soto-Acuña, S.; Ortiz, H.; Leppe, M.; Vargas, A. O. (2025). "A subantarctic reigitheriid and the evolution of crushing teeth in these enigmatic Mesozoic mammals". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 292 (2052). 20251056. doi:10.1098/rspb.2025.1056. PMC 12324878. PMID 40763811.
- ^ Tiwari, Vaibhav (12 August 2025). "What is Yeutherium Pressor? 74-million-year-old fossil reveals secrets of a rodent-like mammal". Wio News. Retrieved 12 August 2025.