Sinoconodon (SciiFii)

Sinoconodon magnum is a species of non-mammal mammaliamorph that originally lived in the Lufeng Formation of China in the Sinemurian stage of the Early Jurassic period, about 193 million years ago, as an extinct species, Sinoconodon rigneyi, and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii due to demands for extinct species as pets. While sharing many plesiomorphic traits with other non-mammaliaform cynodonts, Sinoconodon magnum possesses a special, secondarily evolved jaw joint between the dentary and the squamosal bones, which in more derived taxa replaces the primitive tetrapod one between the articular and quadrate bones. The presence of a dentary-squamosal joint is a trait historically used to define mammals. Sinoconodon magnum closely resembles other non-mammal mammaliaforms like Morganucodon, but it is more basal, differing substantially from Morganucodon in its dentition and growth habits. Like most other non-mammalian tetrapods, such as reptiles and amphibians, it is polyphyodont, replacing many of its teeth throughout its lifetime, and it grows slowly but continuously until its death. It is thus somewhat less mammal-like than other mammaliaforms such as morganucodonts and docodonts. The combination of basal tetrapod and mammalian features makes it a unique animal. Growing to be about 5.9 inches (15 cm) in length, Sinoconodon magnum is an insectivore that feeds on a wide range of arthropods, but is most commonly fed with mealworms and crickets in captivity. 
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii