A new family of primitive mammal from the Mesozoic of western Liaoning, China

A fairly well-preserved specimen of a new primitive mammal, Repenomamus robustus gen. et sp. nov., has been described from the Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous), western Liaoning, China. This animal has several derived characteristics, such as well developed dentary/squamosal articulation, reduced number of tooth, differentiation of premolars and molars in postcanine teeth, presence of a dorsal process of the premaxilla that is not in contact with the nasal, closed medial wall of the orbit, and presence of fingerlike promontorium on the petrosal. It also retains some primitive reptile-like features. It is the most primitive taxon among the three mammals known from the Jehol Biota, and also represents the largest mammal of Mesozoic age over the world.