- Bisonalveus browni
Taxobox
name = "Bisonalveus browni"
status = Fossil
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Mammal ia
ordo =Cimolesta
familia =Pentacodontidae
genus = "Bisonalveus"
species = "B. browni"
binomial = "Bisonalveus browni"
binomial_authority =Gazin , 1956"Bisonalveus browni" is an extinct mammal, once believed to be related to the modern
pangolin .It was discovered in 1956 in
Alberta ,Canada . It is known primarily from fossil jaws dating back 60 million years ago, during thePalaeocene epoch . This ancient mammal was probably something like our modern shrews.Interestingly, the canine teeth in "Bisonalveus" have grooves that may have been used for delivering a venomous bite. The canines that would contain venom do not correspond with the lower jaw, rendering these teeth as deadly fangs, as in many species of poisonous snakes. There are few modern mammals that are venomous. The male
platypus has a hollow foot spur attached to a venom sac. The only othervenomous mammals are four species ofshrew and the two species ofsolenodon which have venomous saliva, and theslow loris which has poison glands on its arms. Possibly like the modern solenodon, "Bisonalveus" bit its victims to inject its toxic saliva and buried the remains in a cache for later consumption. However, because other nonvenomous mammals, such as baboons and other primates, have similar grooves some scientists have questioned whether these grooves truly indicate venom delivery.References
* Folinsbee K, Muller J, Reisz RR (2007) "Canine grooves: morphology, function, and relevance to venom" Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27:547-551.
* PMID 15973406
* Orr CM, Delezene LK, Scott JE, Tocheri MW, Schwartz GT (2007) "The comparative method and the inference of venom delivery systems in fossil mammals" Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27:541-546.
External links
*
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
