Asioryctitheria, sensu Archibald and Averianov, 2006

Wible, JR, Rougier, GW, Novacek, MJ & Asher, RJ, 2009, The Eutherian Mammal Maelestes Gobiensis From The Late Cretaceous Of Mongolia And The Phylogeny Of Cretaceous Eutheria, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2009 (327), pp. 1-123 : 63

Asioryctitheria

Novacek et al. (1997: 483) erected Asioryctitheria to include the Djadokhta eutherians Kennalestes , Asioryctes , and Ukhaatherium , united by ‘‘postglenoid vein exit within rather than posterior to postglenoid buttress, which is developed medially into an entoglenoid process; well-developed fusiform auditory bulla; pronounced caudal tympanic process of petromastoid (CTPP), connecting to promontorium by distinct interfenestral ridge; large piriform fenestra in anterior roof of tympanic cavity.’’ Wible et al. (2004) noted that these features also occur in Zalambdalestes (fig. 36) and Barunlestes and suggested a possible asioryctithere-zalambdalestid clade, which is not supported by the current analysis (figs. 29, 30). Archibald and Averianov (2006) referred Bulaklestes , Daulestes , and Uchkudukodon from the Bissekty Formation (Turonian) of Uzbekistan to Asioryctitheria (fig. 31B). Uchkudukodon is the only Uzbekistani eutherian known for associated upper and lower dentitions and a partial skull and atlas (fig. 35; McKenna et al., 2000). The referral of the three Uzbekistani genera to Asioryctitheria was supported by the phylogenetic analysis of Archibald and Averianov (2006), which identified four synapomorphies: double-rooted lower canine, p5 longer than p4, p5 without metaconid, and upper molars with distinct conular basins. The analysis of Wible et al. (2007; figs. 29: M 3, 30) supports Asioryctitheria sensu Archibald and Averianov (2006) with five synapomorphies (appendix 4: node M 3): double-rooted lower canine (character 26), M2 protocone not procumbent (character 94), m2 entoconid smaller than hypoconid and/or hypoconulid (character 122), postorbital process absent (character 216), and postglenoid foramen medial or anterior to postglenoid process (character 258). The distribution of the last two characters is not known for Bulaklestes and Daulestes .

Within Asioryctitheria, Wible et al. (2007) identified monophyletic Uzbekistani and Mongolian clades (figs. 29: nodes M 4 and M 6, 30), whereas in Archibald and Averianov (2006) the Uzbekistani taxa were consecutive outgroups to the Mongolian taxa (fig. 31B). Both analyses supported Asioryctes and Ukhaatherium as sister taxa, the Asioryctidae of Novacek et al. (1997) or Asioryctinae of Archibald and Averianov (2006). The Uzbekistani clade of Wible et al. (2007) is supported by three dental synapomorphies (appendix 4: node M 4): penultimate upper premolar with two roots (character 39); M1 parastylar lobe anterior to the paracone (character 67); and ultimate lower molar hypoconulid posteriorly procumbent (character 121). The Mongolian clade is supported by five synapomorhies (appendix 4: node M 6): diastema separating first and second lower premolars (character 49); m2 protocristid transverse (character 113); tilting of coronoid process near vertical (95 ° to 105 °) (character 135); medial course of internal carotid artery (character 270; fig. 36); and atlas neural arch fused (character 340). The distribution of the last three characters is not known for Bulaklestes and Daulestes .