A new pucadelphyid (Metatheria) from the Itaboraí Basin (late Paleocene-early Eocene): systematic affinities, taxonomic revision, and evolutionary inferences for Pucadelphyda

Key Points

• This new pucadelphyid offers insights into evolutionary inferences within the Metatheria group.
• Key identification metrics detail the taxonomic revision that shapes our understanding of the Pucadelphyda lineage.
• Systematic affinities suggest complex evolutionary relationships during the late Paleocene to early Eocene period.
• These findings may lead to a reevaluation of metatherian diversity and characteristics in paleontological studies.