What is a Sparassodont?
Q: What is a Sparassodont?
A: A Sparassodont is an order of carnivorous metatherian mammals that are now extinct.
Q: Where were the Sparassodonts native to?
A: The Sparassodonts were native to South America.
Q: What were the Sparassodonts initially thought to be?
A: The Sparassodonts were initially thought to be true marsupials.
Q: How are Sparassodonts classified now?
A: Sparassodonts are now classified as a sister taxon to marsupials.
Q: Are there any similarities between Sparassodonts and placental predators from Eurasia?
A: Yes, a number of these mammalian predators closely resemble placental predators that evolved separately in Eurasia.
Q: Who described the Sparassodonts first and where were fossils found?
A: The Sparassodonts were first described by Florentino Ameghino, from fossils found in the Santa Cruz beds of Patagonia.
Q: What is the current status of the Sparassodont species?
A: The Sparassodont species are now extinct.
