Uchkudukodon, Archibald & Averianov, 2006

Archibald, J. David & Averianov, Alexander O., 2006, Late Cretaceous asioryctitherian eutherian mammals from Uzbekistan and phylogenetic analysis of Asioryctitheria, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 51 (2), pp. 351-376 : 359

Genus Uchkudukodon nov.

Type and only species: Daulestes nessovi McKenna, Kielan−Jaworowska, and Meng, 2000 .

Derivation of the name: Named for the Uzbekistan city of Uchkuduk, derived from Kazkh for three (uch) and well (kuduk), and Greek for tooth (odon); masculine gender; pronounced (“u” as in sue throughout, and “ch” as in chase) UCH−ku−duk−o−don.

Definition.—The type and all species more closely related to U. nessovi than to other asioryctitheres.

Distribution.— Uzbekistan; Late Cretaceous, Turonian.

Diagnosis.—Similar to Asioryctes , Ukhaatherium , and Daulestes , and differing from Kennalestes in having P2 smaller than P1 (possible ancestral character, unknown for Bulaklestes ). Similar to Bulaklestes and Daulestes , and differing from Kennalestes , Asioryctes , and Ukhaatherium in P4 being two−rooted rather than three−rooted (ancestral character). Similar to Bulaklestes and Daulestes , and differing from Kennalestes , Asioryctes , and Ukhaatherium in P4 having small rather than large protocone swelling (ancestral character). P5 lacks a metacone swelling that is present in Daulestes (derived character). (P5s are unknown for Daulestes kulbeckensis and Bulaklestes .) Similar to Asioryctes , Ukhaatherium , Bulaklestes , and Daulestes , and differing from Kennalestes in lacking lingual cingula on M1–3 (ancestral character). Metastylar lobe on M2 the same size or smaller than the parastylar lobe, while in Asioryctes , and Ukhaatherium it is smaller and in Kennalestes it is the same size (variable character). Similar to Bulaklestes , Asioryctes , Kennalestes , and Daulestes , and differing from Ukhaatherium in having lower canine double−rooted rather than single−rooted (ancestral character). Similar to Bulaklestes and Daulestes , and differing from Kennalestes , Asioryctes , and Ukhaatherium in lacking diastema between p1 and p2 (ancestral character). Similar to Kennalestes and Daulestes , and differing from Asioryctes and Ukhaatherium in lacking paraconid on p4 (derived character, polymorphic in Bulaklestes ). Similar to Kennalestes , Asioryctes , Ukhaatherium , and Daulestes , and differing from Bulaklestes in having p5 shorter than p4 (derived character) and in p5 talonid as wide as anterior half of tooth (derived character). Similar to Bulaklestes , Daulestes , and Kennalestes , and differing from Asioryctes in having little or no constriction of m1–3 trigonids (ancestral character). Similar to Asioryctes and Ukhaatherium in having the ratio of the M1 average length to ml average length of 1.1, which differs from Bulaklestes , Daulestes , and Kennalestes which have a ratio of 1.3 (derived character). By far the smallest asioryctithere and smallest Cretaceous eutherian. Compared to Daulestes averaging at least 7.5% (range of 3–16%) smaller based on measurements of m1 and m2 and averaging at least 23.5% (range of 19–28%) smaller based on measurements of M1 and M2.