Brandoniidae


Brandoniidae is a family of meridiolestidan dryolestoids indigenous to the Late Cretaceous of South America. Most are known from the Los Alamitos Formation, but also occur in other argentinian and brazilian sites. An Antarctic Eocene tooth is also known from Seymour Island, though it could also belong to a dryolestoid related to Necrolestes.

Taxonomy

Brandoniids are consistently recovered as meridiolestidans closely related to mesungulatids and Austrotriconodon. There is a controversy in regards to how diverse the clade is, with some genera like Barberenia possibly being synonymous with Brandonia itself.

Ecology

Unlike their larger herbivorous and carnivorous relatives, brandoniids remained insectivores. In particular, their teeth are compared to those of modern sengi, implying a similar gracile, cursorial anatomy.