Arginbaatar

Arginbaatar

Arginbaatar is a type of extinct mammal that lived during the Lower Cretaceous period in what is now Mongolia. It was part of a special group of ancient mammals called the Multituberculata, which no longer exist today. This group is part of a family named Arginbaataridae, first described by scientists Hahn & Hahn in 1983.

The name Arginbaatar was given to this ancient animal by a scientist named Trofimov B.A. in 1980. The word "Baatar" comes from the Mongolian language and means "hero" or "warrior." The main species in this group is called Arginbaatar dmitrievae, also named by Trofimov.

Scientists found fossils of Arginbaatar in the Dzunbain Formation in Mongolia. These fossils are from a time called the Aptian or Albian, which is part of the Lower Cretaceous period. This makes Arginbaatar one of the few known members of its family. Some features of Arginbaatar look similar to another group called "Plagiaulacida," while other features are more like those in a group known as the suborder of Cimolodonta. Scientists are still learning where Arginbaatar fits in the family tree of ancient mammals.