Eomaia

Eomaia is an extinct genus of early eutherian mammal known from a remarkably complete fossil found in Early Cretaceous deposits in northeastern China.

Eutheria: The mammal group containing placentals and their extinct stem relatives. Eomaia is an early member of this lineage, though not a modern placental.
Eomaia scansoria: The sole described species of Eomaia, known from a nearly complete fossil skeleton. This species supplies the anatomical evidence behind the genus's evolutionary significance.
Mammalian dentition: The arrangement and structure of teeth characteristic of mammals, including differentiated tooth types. Eomaia's teeth preserve traits used to identify its mammalian relationships.
Metatheria: The mammal group containing marsupials and their extinct stem relatives. Metatherians are the other major living therian branch against which early eutherians are compared.
Mammalia: The vertebrate class comprising mammals and their extinct ancestors. Eomaia shares defining mammalian traits such as hair and differentiated teeth.
Yixian Formation: An Early Cretaceous rock formation in northeastern China known for exceptionally preserved fossils. Eomaia was recovered from this fossil-rich formation.
Mammalian middle ear: The mammalian hearing apparatus formed by three small bones in the middle ear. Early mammal fossils help trace the evolutionary transformation of jaw bones into ear bones.
Monotremata: The mammal group containing egg-laying mammals such as the platypus and echidnas. Monotremes represent a mammalian reproductive lineage distinct from Eomaia's therian ancestry.
Theria: The mammal group comprising marsupials, placentals, and their extinct stem relatives. Eomaia belongs within the therian branch that also includes marsupials.
Jehol Biota: A Cretaceous ecosystem preserved in northeastern China, famous for fossils of diverse organisms. Eomaia belongs to the same broad fossil assemblage that preserves early birds and mammals.

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ColugoRelated: Its fossil illustrates the early diversity of placental-mammal relatives relevant to colugo ancestry.