"Late Cretaceous Discovery: Large Therian Mammal Unearthed in South America"
A new study reports the discovery of a large therian mammal, Patagomaia chainko, from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia, South America. This finding challenges the traditional view that early evolution and origin of therians occurred exclusively on Laurasian landmasses, suggesting that some therian lineages evolved and diversified in the Southern Hemisphere. Patagomaia, estimated to weigh around 14 kg, exhibits unique anatomical features that distinguish it from other Mesozoic mammals, and its discovery indicates a taxonomically diverse Late Cretaceous mammalian fauna in South America, including gondwanatherians, dryolestoids, monotremes, and early therians.