Pholidotamorpha

History of taxonomy

Both the Pholidota and Palaeanodonta orders were formerly placed with other orders of ant-eating mammals, most notably Xenarthra (armadillos, sloths, anteaters, which they superficially resemble); some palaeontologists, throughout the history of zoology, have placed pangolins and palaeanodonts as a suborder, Pholidota, in the greater order Cimolesta, alongside the extinct family Ernanodontidae (as a separate suborder Ernanodonta) near it. However, this idea fell out of favor when it was determined that cimolestids were not truly placental mammals.^[3]

Newer genetic evidence indicates instead that the closest living relatives to Pholidota are the members of order Carnivora, together forming the mirorder Ferae.^[4][5][6][7] In 2009, pangolins and palaeanodonts were together placed within the clade Pholidotamorpha.^[1] A 2012 study of new remains, found in Late Paleocene Mongolian strata, have led to the assessment that extinct genus Ernanodon is closely related to another extinct genus, Metacheiromys, and is a member of the extinct order Palaeanodonta.^[8] A 2026 studies of Eurotamandua remains, found that this extinct genus alongside extinct genis Euromanis are not members of order Pholidota and are more closely related to order Palaeanodonta.^[9][10] Members of extinct order Pantolesta are also recognised to be close relative of clade Pholidotamorpha, based on their dental and postcranial similarities, and semi-fossorial adaptations.^{[11][12][13][14][15]}

Classification

Phylogeny