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<p><i>Taeniolabis taoensis</i>, the largest known multituberculate, is craniodentally one of the most well-known mammals from the early Paleocene of the Western Interior of the United States of America. Although a few postcranial elements from the Nacimiento Formation of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, were previously referred to <i>T. taoensis</i> as early as the 1880s, the attribution of most of these specimens to <i>T. taoensis</i> has been questioned. Here we review all of the previously described postcranial remains and confirm that some attributions were indeed incorrect. However, we also place on record several new specimens recently discovered in museum collections that represent the ulna, radius, femur, and calcaneus and that we confidently assign to <i>Taeniolabis</i> based on morphological characters previously identified as unique to multituberculates, large size, and association with craniodental remains of <i>Taeniolabis</i> in the same strata. We compare these elements to those of other multituberculate mammals, particularly to those of other taeniolabidoids. Not unexpectedly considering the heavily constructed, blocky skull of <i>Taeniolabis</i>, all of the postcranial elements are robust, more robust than for any other known multituberculate. Although we are constrained by the poor representation of elements from critical parts of the skeleton and the incomplete nature of the available specimens, we infer that <i>Taeniolabis</i> was a ground-dwelling, quite possibly fossorial mammal.</p>

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Postcranial osteology and locomotor habits of the North American Paleocene multituberculate Taeniolabis (Taeniolabidoidea, Mammalia)

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月9日

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  • Simone Hoffmann,
  • David W. Krause

摘要

Taeniolabis taoensis, the largest known multituberculate, is craniodentally one of the most well-known mammals from the early Paleocene of the Western Interior of the United States of America. Although a few postcranial elements from the Nacimiento Formation of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, were previously referred to T. taoensis as early as the 1880s, the attribution of most of these specimens to T. taoensis has been questioned. Here we review all of the previously described postcranial remains and confirm that some attributions were indeed incorrect. However, we also place on record several new specimens recently discovered in museum collections that represent the ulna, radius, femur, and calcaneus and that we confidently assign to Taeniolabis based on morphological characters previously identified as unique to multituberculates, large size, and association with craniodental remains of Taeniolabis in the same strata. We compare these elements to those of other multituberculate mammals, particularly to those of other taeniolabidoids. Not unexpectedly considering the heavily constructed, blocky skull of Taeniolabis, all of the postcranial elements are robust, more robust than for any other known multituberculate. Although we are constrained by the poor representation of elements from critical parts of the skeleton and the incomplete nature of the available specimens, we infer that Taeniolabis was a ground-dwelling, quite possibly fossorial mammal.