Scalaridelphys fossil map
Where fossils of Scalaridelphys have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 85 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 85 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 93.9–89.8 million years ago (Turonian) |
| Periods | Cretaceous |
| Family | Aquiladelphidae |
| Named by | Cohen et al. 2021 |
| Fossil records | 4 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Straight Cliffs |
About Scalaridelphys
Scalaridelphys (meaning "womb that resembles stairs"—in reference to the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument and the fact that it was related to extant marsupials) is an extinct genus of aquiladelphid pediomyoid mammal from the Late Cretaceous (Turonian)-aged Straight Cliffs Formation of Utah. Initially named as Scalaria in 2020, the genus name was changed to Scalaridelphys in 2021 when the authors were told by B. Creisler that the name Scalaria was already in use for a now-obsolete genus of gastropod named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1801. Two species of Scalaridelphys are known: the type species S. martini and S. aquilana.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Scalaridelphys (revision 1314580335), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q105952642.
