Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Ordo: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Subordo: Cynodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Prototheria
Ordo: Monotremata
Familia: †Kollikodontidae
Genus: Kollikodon
Species: K. ritchiei
Name
Kollikodon Flannery et al., 1995.
References
Flannery, T.F.; Archer, M.; Rich, T.H.; Jones, R. 1995: A new family of monotremes from the Cretaceous of Australia. Nature, 377: 418–420. DOI: 10.1038/377418a0
Kollikodon is an extinct species of mammal, it is usually considered to be a member of Australosphenida and closely allied with monotremes, but is alternatively suggested to be a haramiyidan. It is known only from an opalised dentary fragment, with one premolar and two molars in situ, as well as a referred maxillary fragment containing the last premolar and all four molars. The fossils were found in the Griman Creek Formation at Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia, as was Steropodon.
Kollikodon lived in the Late Cretaceous period, during the Cenomanian age (99–96 million years ago).
Like Steropodon, Kollikodon was a relatively large mammal for the Mesozoic. The molars have a length of around 5.5 mm and a width of between about 4 and 6 mm.[2] Based upon these data, the potential body length could be up to a metre.[3] Assuming the accuracy of such a guess, Kollikodon would be a contender for the largest Mesozoic mammal known, along with other possible giants such as Repenomamus, Schowalteria, and Bubodens.
Aside from its size, it is difficult to say what Kollikodon looked like. It is certain that its teeth were specialised to crush food, being perhaps a shellfish-eater or herbivore. The description of the upper jaw showed that it was strongly specialised, with molars being subdivided into numerous rounded cuspules, some of which exhibit pits, possibly the result of crushing hard items.[4]
Both Kollikodon and Steropodon can be found at the Australian Museum in Sydney, along with Eric, the opalised pliosaur.
Etymology
Kollix is an ancient Greek word (κολλίξ) for a bread roll. The strange teeth of Kollikodon, when seen from above, resemble hot cross buns, traditionally toasted and eaten on Good Friday. Originally, Michael Archer wanted to name it "Hotcrossbunodon", but met disapproval from his associates.[5]
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References
Flannery, Timothy F.; Archer, Michael; Rich, Thomas H. & Jones, Robert (1995). "A new family of monotremes from the Cretaceous of Australia" (PDF). Nature. 377: 418–420. doi:10.1038/377418a0.
Clemens, William A.; Wilson, Gregory P. & Molnar, Ralph E. (2003). "An enigmatic (Synapsid?) tooth from the Early Cretaceous of New South Wales, Australia". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 23 (1): 232–237. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2003)23[232:AESTFT]2.0.CO;2.
Weil, Anne (2005). "Mammalian palaeobiology: Living large in the Cretaceous". Nature (published 2005-01-12). 433: 116–117. doi:10.1038/433116b.
Pian, Rebecca; Archer, Michael; Hand, Suzanne J.; Beck, Robin M.D. & Cody, Andrew (2016). "The upper dentition and relationships of the enigmatic Australian Cretaceous mammal Kollikodon ritchiei" (PDF). Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 74: 97–105. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.2016.74.10. ISSN 1447-2546.
Long, John A.; Archer, Michael; Flannery, Timothy & Hand, Suzanne (2002). Prehistoric mammals of Australia and New Guinea: One hundred million years of evolution. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-0801872235.
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