Adelobasileus

Adelobasileus is a genus of mammaliamorph cynodonts from the Late Triassic (Carnian), about 225 million years ago. It is known only from a partial skull recovered from the Tecovas Formation in western Texas, southern United States, referred to the species Adelobasileus cromptoni.

Roughly contemporary with the mammaliaform Tikitherium, Adelobasileus predates the non-mammalian cynodonts Tritylodontidae and Tritheledontidae by 10 million years. Distinct cranial features, especially the housing of the cochlea, suggest that Adelobasileus is a transitional form in the character transformation from non-mammaliaform cynodonts to mammaliaforms. For this reason, it is thought to be a close relative of the common ancestor of all modern mammals. Though traditionally classified as a mammal by trait-based taxonomy, it is outside the crown group containing all true mammals.