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Primate-like or big-bodied multituberculates?; What prevented multis from attaining these forms?
Topic Started: Mar 21 2010, 04:52 AM (949 Views)
Dean
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The multituberculates were the most successful group of mammals, they survived for 100 million years. We don't know whether they were the first offbranch from the main mammalian line, or did they evolve independently from a very mammal-like cynodont, but we know that:

-They evolved viviparity independently, after they split from the main mammal line, which was still oviparous.
-They gave birth to tiny helpless young, but had no pouch, similar to the reproduction of non-marsupial metatherians.
-They were in the same niche as rodents, and even had a similar bodyplan and tooth-configuration.


Now, if they were so successful, so long-lived, and evolved so many therian-like traits much earlier than real therians, why did they only evolve rodent-like forms?

The rodent-like form is basically the most basal mammalian form. From that they could easily evolve a primate-like one, which is very similar to the rodent-like body, or even carnivoran, ungulate or elephant-like forms.

If they lived for so much time, and were so successful, why did they conserve the basal body, and not radiate into more diverse forms like therians, or even monotremes?

Can you imagine scenarios, which would've allowed them to radiate?
Edited by Dean, Mar 21 2010, 04:53 AM.
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Margaret Pye
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On the other hand, Carnivora would probably outcompete them on the ground because of the sprawling posture.
My speculative dinosaur project. With lots of fluff, parental care and mammalian-level intelligence, and the odd sophont.
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Carlos
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I think multies could survive in aquatic niches; with them occupying those niches neither otters (or seals) nor aquatic rodents would perhaps evolve
Lemuria:
http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/5724950/

Terra Alternativa:
http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/forum/460637/

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Margaret Pye
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Ah yes, that's another place where sprawling isn't a disadvantage.
My speculative dinosaur project. With lots of fluff, parental care and mammalian-level intelligence, and the odd sophont.
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