Kollikodon ritchiei is an extinct monotreme species. It is known only from an opalised dentary fragment, with one premolar and two molars in situ. The fossil was found at Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia, as was Steropodon. The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Bilateria Acoelomorpha Orthonectida Rhombozoa Myxozoa Superphylum Deuterostomia    Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals primarily characterized by the presence of mammary... Families Kollikodontidae (extinct) Ornithorhynchidae - Platypus Tachyglossidae - Echidnas Steropodontidae (extinct) Monotremes (< monos, single + trema, hole; refers to the cloaca) are mammals that are best known for laying eggs, instead of giving birth to live young like marsupials and placental mammals (Eutheria). ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is a standard convention used for naming species. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of species. ... Families Kollikodontidae (extinct) Ornithorhynchidae - Platypus Tachyglossidae - Echidnas Steropodontidae (extinct) Monotremes (< monos, single + trema, hole; refers to the cloaca) are mammals that are best known for laying eggs, instead of giving birth to live young like marsupials and placental mammals (Eutheria). ... In biology, a species is a kind of organism. ... The dentary is the tooth bearing bone of the lower jaw. ... The premolar teeth or bicuspids are transitional teeth located between the canine and molar teeth. ... A molar is the fourth kind of tooth in mammals. ... FOSSIL is a standard for allowing serial communication for telecommunications programs under DOS. FOSSIL stands for Fido Opus Seadog Standard Interface Layer and was made by a group of Fidonet sysops to make their software work on different machines. ... Lightning Ridge is a town of approximately 2000 persons in north-western New South Wales, Australia. ... Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Nickname: Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ... Binomial name Steropodon galmani Steropodon was a prehistoric monotreme, or egg-laying mammal that lived during the middle Albian era, in the Lower Cretaceous period. ...

Kollikodon lived in the lower Cretaceous period, during the middle Albian age (100-104 million years ago). The Cretaceous period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic period (about 135 mya) to the beginning of the Paleocene epoch of the Tertiary period (65 mya). ...

Like Steropodon, Kollikodon was a relatively large mammal for the Mesozoic. The molars have a length of around 5.5 mm and a width of between about 4 to 6 mm, (Clemens et al, 2003). Based upon these data, the potential body length could be up to a metre. Assuming the accuracy of such a guess, Kollikodon would be a contender for the largest Mesozoic mammal known, along with other possible giants such as Repenomamus, Schowalteria, and Bubodens. The Mesozoic is one of three geologic eras of Phanerozoic eon. ... The Mesozoic is one of three geologic eras of Phanerozoic eon. ... Species Repenomamus robustus Repenomamus giganticus Repenomamus is the largest mammal known from the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic, and the only one with evidence that it ate dinosaurs. ...

Aside from its size, it is difficult to say what Kollikodon looked like. However, it may have been at least partly aquatic, as its strange teeth would work well for crushing shellfish. The term aquatic refers to water and can be either a noun or an adjective. ... Shellfish is a term used to describe molluscs and crustaceans used as food. ...

Both Kollikodon and Steropodon can be found at the Australian Museum in Sydney, along with Eric, the opalised pliosaur. Binomial name Steropodon galmani Steropodon was a prehistoric monotreme, or egg-laying mammal that lived during the middle Albian era, in the Lower Cretaceous period. ... The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, centering on natural history and anthropology, with collections centering on vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as minerology, palaeontology, and anthropology. ... Sydneys skyline with the Opera House on the left Sydney is the capital city of the Australian state of New South Wales and Australias largest and oldest city, founded in 1788. ... OPAL is also the name of one of the four detectors of the Large Electron-Positron Collider. ... Families Cryptoclididae Elasmosauridae Plesiosauridae Pliosauridae Plesiosaurs (PLEE-see-oh-SORES) were large, carnivorous aquatic reptiles. ...

Origin of Kollikodons name

Kollix is an ancient Greek word for a bread roll. The strange teeth of Kollikodon, when seen from above, resemble hot cross buns, traditionally toasted and eaten on Good Friday. The original suggestion for the animal's name was Hotcrossbunidon, but this was felt to be invalid in terms of the rules of zoological nomenclature, and so Kollikodon was officially proposed. Hot cross buns A hot cross bun is a type of sweet spiced bun made with currants and leavened with yeast. ... Good Friday is a special day celebrated by Christians on the Friday before Easter or Pascha. ...

See also

• Fossil Monotremes

Families Kollikodontidae (extinct) Ornithorhynchidae - Platypus Tachyglossidae - Echidnas Steropodontidae (extinct) Monotremes (< monos, single + trema, hole; refers to the cloaca) are mammals that are best known for laying eggs, instead of giving birth to live young like marsupials and placental mammals (Eutheria). ...

External links

• Australian Museum online: Lightning Ridge (http://www.amonline.net.au/fossil_sites/lightning.htm) Opal fossils from Oz.
• Australian Museum online (http://www.austmus.gov.au/platypus/index.htm) Some observations on Hotcrossbunidon.
• Australian Museum online, Collection Highlights (http://www.amonline.net.au/collections/highlights.htm)

References

• Flannery, T.F., Archer, M., Rich, T.H., Jones, R. (1995) "A new family of monotremes from the Cretaceous of Australia". Nature 377: 418-420.