A New Species of Gobiconodon (Mammalia) from Western Liaoning, China and its Implication for the Dental Formula of Gobiconodon

Abstract

A new species of Gobiconodon from the Early Cretaceous in the Lujiatun locality of western Liaoning is erected based on an almost complete skull and lower jaw. It has a flatten skull roof, the lambdoidal crest is strongly curved forward, and the sagittal crest is short and low. There is a protuberance near the anterior base of the zygoma. The preservation of the upper teeth is very rare in all known Gobiconodon , and this provides important information for the study on the formula of Gobiconodon. The new species is the fifth primitive mammal unearthed from the Lujiatun locality, and is of great value for the study of the geological age of the stratigraphy at Lujiatun by primitive mammal material.