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Phylogenetic tooth loss in Carnivora

Monday, August 3, 2026 7:33

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Basal members of the clade Carnivora,
like Prionodon (Fig 1 left), the Asiatic linsang of SE Asia, have four premolars. More derived (but still primitive) members, like Mustela (Fig 1 right) have only three premolars with a shorter face and rounder features, suggestive of a juvenile morphology in an adult that is parenting offspring.

By these observations neotony associated with phylogenetic miniaturization were factors in the evolution of Mustela from Prionodon – as also seen in other basal members of new clades.

Figure 1. At left: Prionodon. At right: Mustela with one fewer premolar. Both to scale. Two solutions are offered for the tooth number loss: 1. fusion of premolars 3 with 4… and 2. loss of premolar one with an anterior shift of the three premolars relative to the canine. The posterior molar does not have twice as many roots, so the latter solution is correct. It is also easier to lose the smallest tooth.

Guessing that neoteny played a part
in the loss of one tooth (probably premolar 1, the smallest and easiest to lose) I looked to the smallest known species of Mustela: M. niivalis (Fig 2) hoping to find a vestige of premolar 1.

Figure 2. Mustela invalid, the smallest Mustea species. Not sure if this morphology qualifies as a vestigial premolar 1, but I bring it your attention. Otherwise please note the abbreviated rostrum, an indication of neoteny.

Another loss of an anterior premolar
occurred between Cryptoprocta, the fossa (Fig 3, left) and Felis, the cat (Fig 3 right), its phylogenetic descendant in the large reptile tree (LRT, 2340 taxa). Note the smaller size, shorter rostrum and rounder traits in the cat.

Figure 3. Cryptoprocta and Felis skulls to scale for comparison. Cryptoprocata has three premolars. Felis has two and a diastema where the anterior premolar (premolar 2) once was.

Loss of premolars and molars in mammals,
in closely related taxa due to neoteny is one reason why scoring traits in mammals has proven to be difficult. Others include: “premolar-like molars” and “molar-like premolars”.

References
Bennett ET 1833. Notice of a new genus of Viverridous Mammalia from Madagascar. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1833: 46.
Linnaeus C von 1758. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata.

wiki/Cryptoprocta
wiki/Felis – Wildcat
wiki/Mustela
wiki/Banded_linsang – Prionodon

Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2026/08/03/phylogenetic-tooth-loss-in-carnivora/

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