Spalacotheriidae
Extinct family of mammals
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spalacotheriidae is a family of extinct mammals belonging to the paraphyletic group 'Symmetrodonta'. They lasted from the Early Cretaceous to the Campanian in North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa.
| Spalacotheriidae Temporal range: Early Cretaceous - Late Cretaceous, | |
|---|---|
| |
| Restoration of Yaverlestes | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | †Symmetrodonta |
| Superfamily: | †Spalacotherioidea |
| Family: | †Spalacotheriidae Marsh, 1887 |
| Genera | |
|
See text | |
Spalacotheriids are characterised by having molar teeth with three molar cusps sitting at acute angles to one another.[1] The shape of their teeth as well as their long lower jaw indicate a carnivorous/insectivorous diet.[2]
A sub-group of Spalacotheriidae, the spalacolestines, lack a Meckelian groove in the jaw, indicating that they had a modern ear anatomy.[1]
Genera
- Akidolestes
- Infernolestes
- Spalacotherium
- Symmetrolestes
- Spalacolestinae[2]
- Aliaga
- Heishanlestes
- Lactodens
- Shalbaatar
- Spalacolestes
- Spalacotheridium
- Spalacotheroides
- Symmetrodontoides
- Yaverlestes
