Deltatheridium (meaning triangle beast or delta beast) is an extinct species of metatherian. It lived in what is now Mongolia during the Upper Cretaceous, circa 80 million years ago. A study in 2022 strongly suggested that Deltatherium was a marsupial, making it the earliest known member of this group.

It had a length of about . Its teeth indicate it was carnivorous. One specimen of Archaeornithoides might attest an attack by this mammal, the skull bearing tooth marks that match its teeth.

Deltatheridium

Other Mesozoic mammals from Mongolia

Kamptobaatar

Zalambdalestes

References

Further reading

Parker, Steve. Dinosaurus: the complete guide to dinosaurs. Firefly Books Inc, 2003. Pg. 403

Deltatheridium

Prehistoric metatherians

Prehistoric mammal genera

Santonian life

Campanian life

Late Cretaceous mammals of Asia

Fossils of Kazakhstan

Fossils of Mongolia

Djadochta fauna

Transitional fossils

Fossil taxa described in 1926

Deltatheridium