Name:
Teinolophos (Greek for "extended ridge tooth"); pronounced tie-NO-low-fos
Habitat:
Woodlands of Australia
Historical Period:
Early Cretaceous (125 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 6 inches long and a few ounces
Diet:
Insects
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Small size; strong jaws
About Teinolophos:
Not a lot is known about Teinolophos, the reconstruction of which is based upon a single lower jaw found in Victoria, Australia. What is evident is that this small mammal was a very early monotreme, the line of egg-laying mammals represented today by platypuses. (The monotremes are a primitive branch of mammals that have retained the egg-laying habits of their reptilian forebears, rather than giving birth to live young.)
