Perameles: this tiny marsupial looks like Tenrec and Georgiacetus
We’ll see where this leads…
… but so far these two LRT taxa, tiny Perameles and little Tenrec (Fig 1), share a long list of traits in the skull and elsewhere. The same can be said of the much larger walking whale, Georgiacetus (Fig 1).
The latter two were matched years ago in ‘The triple origin of whales’ on ResearchGate.net.
Figure 1. Tiny Perameles, little Tenrec and large Georgiacetus compared to scale and to a common skull length.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/georgiacetus-tenrecskull588.jpg?w=88″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/georgiacetus-tenrecskull588.jpg?w=299″ class=”size-full wp-image-92451″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/georgiacetus-tenrecskull588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Tiny Perameles, little Tenrec and large Georgiacetus compared to scale and to a common skull length. ” width=”584″ height=”2002″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/georgiacetus-tenrecskull588.jpg?w=584&h=2002 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/georgiacetus-tenrecskull588.jpg?w=44&h=150 44w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/georgiacetus-tenrecskull588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Tiny marsupial Perameles, little placental Tenrec and large walking whale Georgiacetus compared to scale and to a common skull length.
If these three taxa are indeed related,
as the LRT currently indicates, they represent yet another genesis of the placental mode of reproduction, or more precisely an extension of the second genesis that includes rodents, shrews and multituberculates. Other workers overlooked these interrelationships. So did I until yesterday, when the LRT brought this rather obvious match to my attention.
Figure 3. Skulls of Asioryctes, Perameles and Macrotis compared.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/asioryctes_nemegetensis_perameles588.jpg?w=163″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/asioryctes_nemegetensis_perameles588.jpg?w=558″ class=”size-full wp-image-32706″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/asioryctes_nemegetensis_perameles588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Skulls of Asioryctes, Perameles and Macrotis compared.” width=”584″ height=”1073″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/asioryctes_nemegetensis_perameles588.jpg?w=584&h=1073 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/asioryctes_nemegetensis_perameles588.jpg?w=82&h=150 82w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/asioryctes_nemegetensis_perameles588.jpg?w=163&h=300 163w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/asioryctes_nemegetensis_perameles588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Skulls of Asioryctes, Perameles and Macrotis compared. Macrotis and Perameles are widely considered related to one another.
If these three are not related,
they represent a remarkable instance of convergence.
In any case,
these three are only one of many reasons why the mammal subset of the LRT is now in day 368 of revisions. See DeBeer 1937 quote below.
Also related
to Macrotis and Perameles is middle Late Cretaceous Asioryctes (Fig 2), studied by Novacek 1986 with some exasperation.
In the preface Novacek 1986 quoted DeBeer 1937 p468:
“The problem of relative affinities of various orders of placental mammals is one on which the study of the development of the skull can unfortunately throw but little light, and when it comes to attempt a grouping of the various orders inter se, grave difficulties are encountered.”
In other words, it seems DeBeer was saying, ‘don’t try this at home – or the lab.’ DeBeer was working on taxonomy prior to the advent of MacClade, Mesquite and PAUP, Novacek was working on taxonomy in the earliest days of software applications and he, like everyone – except Wortman 1902 – assumed a monophyletic Eutheria = Placentalia.
Figure 3. Leptictis compared to Rhynchocyon and Macroscelides.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/leptictis_rhynchocyon588.jpg?w=244″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/leptictis_rhynchocyon588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-92458″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/leptictis_rhynchocyon588.jpg” alt=”Figure 3. Leptictis compared to Rhynchocyon and Macroscelides.” width=”584″ height=”717″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/leptictis_rhynchocyon588.jpg?w=584&h=717 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/leptictis_rhynchocyon588.jpg?w=122&h=150 122w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/leptictis_rhynchocyon588.jpg?w=244&h=300 244w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/leptictis_rhynchocyon588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 3. Leptictis compared to Rhynchocyon and Macroscelides.
Novacek 1986
was studying the skull of Leptictis, a transitional taxon linking armadillos to odontocetes and both derived from marsupial numbats in the LRT, so not a part of the clade of placentals that include humans. Given these interrelationships, no wonder Novacek quoted DeBeer. Taxon exclusion was part of Novacek’ frustration.
All mammals must be tested at the same time in analysis. Spitting marsupials from placentals (assuming a monophyletic Eutheria or Placentalia), will recover false positives.
References
DeBeer GR 1937.The development of the vertebrate skull. Oxford, Clarendon Press, xxiv + 552pp
Kielan-Jaworowska Z 1975. Preliminary description of two new eutherian genera from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Palaeontologia Polonica 33:5-15.
Novacek MJ 1986. The skull of leptictid insectivorans and the higher-level classification of eutherian mammals. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 183(1):112pp.
wiki/Perameles
wiki/Macrotis
wiki/Bishops
wiki/Asioryctes
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/04/17/perameles-this-tiny-marsupial-looks-like-tenrec-and-georgiacetus/
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