Marsupial moles Ottoryctes and Notoryctes compared
Once again, obvious in hindsight…
Eocene Ottoryctes now nests with extant Notoryctes.
All valid sister taxa should look obvious = microevolutionary changes.
Figure 1. Extinct Ottoryctes compared to scale with extant Notoryctes. Two marsupial moles that now nest together in the LRT.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ottoryctes-notoryctes588.jpg?w=154″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ottoryctes-notoryctes588.jpg?w=524″ class=”size-full wp-image-91453″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ottoryctes-notoryctes588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Extinct Ottoryctes compared to scale with extant Notoryctes. Two marsupial moles that now nest together in the LRT.” width=”584″ height=”1141″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ottoryctes-notoryctes588.jpg?w=584&h=1141 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ottoryctes-notoryctes588.jpg?w=77&h=150 77w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ottoryctes-notoryctes588.jpg?w=154&h=300 154w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ottoryctes-notoryctes588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Extinct Ottoryctes compared to scale with extant Notoryctes. Two marsupial moles that now nest together in the LRT.
After a Google Search,
apparently this pairing has not been noticed previously. If incorrect, please provide a citation so I can promote it here. Marsupial moles go back to Middle Jurassic Docofossor.
Figure 2. Ottoryctes now nests with Asioryctes and Ukhaatherium among the basal marsupials in the LRT.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/asioryctes_nemegetensis588.jpg?w=129″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/asioryctes_nemegetensis588.jpg?w=441″ class=”size-full wp-image-91346″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/asioryctes_nemegetensis588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Ottoryctes now nests with Asioryctes and Ukhaatherium among the basal marsupials in the LRT.” width=”584″ height=”1357″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/asioryctes_nemegetensis588.jpg?w=584&h=1357 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/asioryctes_nemegetensis588.jpg?w=65&h=150 65w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/asioryctes_nemegetensis588.jpg?w=129&h=300 129w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/asioryctes_nemegetensis588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Ottoryctes now nests with Asioryctes and Ukhaatherium among the basal marsupials in the LRT.
Ottoryctes winkleri
(Bloch, Secord and Gingerich 2004. UM 7262 middle Wasatchian, Early Eocene, 3.6 cm skull length) is a mole-like relative to Asioryctes. The posteriorly wide skull lacks cheek arches. The tympanic cavities are enlarged and raised above the jaw joint. Here the external bulbous otic area is restored.
Figure 1. The origin of marsupial moles in the LRT includes Middle Jurassic Docofossor and Notoryctes Three placental2 txaa are derived from this clade. Miocene Necroletes is a placental2 close to the extant golden mole, Chrysochloris.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/chrysochloris-uropsilus-skulls588.jpg?w=101″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/chrysochloris-uropsilus-skulls588.jpg?w=344″ class=”size-full wp-image-91011″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/chrysochloris-uropsilus-skulls588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. The origin of marsupial moles in the LRT includes Middle Jurassic Docofossor and Notoryctes Three placental2 txaa are derived from this clade. Miocene Necroletes is a placental2 close to the extant golden mole, Chrysochloris.” width=”584″ height=”1737″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/chrysochloris-uropsilus-skulls588.jpg?w=584&h=1737 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/chrysochloris-uropsilus-skulls588.jpg?w=50&h=150 50w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/chrysochloris-uropsilus-skulls588.jpg?w=101&h=300 101w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/chrysochloris-uropsilus-skulls588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 3. The origin of marsupial moles in the LRT includes Middle Jurassic Docofossor and Notoryctes Three placental2 txaa are derived from this clade. Miocene Necroletes is a placental2 close to the extant golden mole, Chrysochloris.
Notoryctes typhlops
(Stirling 1888, 1891; extant; 16 cm in length) is the marsupial mole. Once classified as a monotreme, here it nests with the marsupial Anebodon and Ottoryctes in the large reptile tree. Notoryctes is blind with eyes reduced to vestigial lenses. It has no external ears. Four molars are present. The pouch opens toward the tail and contains two teats. Several neck vertebrae are fused.The clavicle is robust as an anchor for digging muscles. The tail verts are quite robust, especially for a mole. Tiny epipubes are present. A cloaca is present a trait otherwise seen in monotremes and tenrecs. The forelimb has transformed to support the two large digging claws of digits 3 and 4.
As reported earlier,
Chrysochloris, the placental golden mole, and Uropsilus, the placental shrew-mole are both derived from these marsupial mole taxa in a placental2 clade, convergent with placental1 and placental3 clades.
References
Bloch JI, Secord R and Gingerich P 2004. Systematics and Phylogeny of Late Paleocene and Early Eocene Palaeoryctinae (Mammalia, Insectivora) from the Clarks Fork and Bighorn Basins, Wyoming. Contrib Mus Paleontol Univ Mich 31(5):119–154.
Stirling EC 1888. Transactions of the Royal Society, South Australia 1888:21
Stirling EC 1891. Transactions of the Royal Society, South Australia 1891:154
wiki/Ottoryctes – not yet posted
wiki/Notoryctes
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/02/02/marsupial-moles-ottoryctes-and-notoryctes-compared/
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