Paleocene mammals

Plesiadapis (near Adapis) is an extinct genus of mammal closely related to primates, found in North America and western Europe. The type species, P. tricuspidens, was described in 1877 by François Louis Paul Gervaise, based on a partial left mandible (lower jaw) uncovered in France. Fourteen valid species have since been named.

Coryphodon (from Greek , "point", and , "tooth", meaning peaked tooth, referring to "the development of the angles of the ridges into points [on the molars].") is an extinct genus of pantodonts of the family Coryphodontidae.

Taeniodonta ("banded teeth") is an extinct order of eutherian mammals, that lived in North America and Europe from the late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) to the middle Eocene. They were among the first mammals to evolve large body sizes (comparable to a modern wild boar or American black bear), as well as ever-growing teeth for eating tough plants.

Phenacodus (Greek: "deception" (phenax), "tooth' (odus)) is an extinct genus of mammals from the late Paleocene through middle Eocene, about 55 million years ago. It is one of the earliest and most primitive of the ungulates, typifying the family Phenacodontidae and the order Perissodactyla.

Barylambda (Greek: "heavy" (baros), "lambda" (lambda) in a reference to larger size than that of Pantolambda) is an extinct genus of pantodont mammal from the middle to late Paleocene, well known from several finds in the Wasatchian (NALMA classification) DeBeque Formation of Colorado and the Clarkforkian Wasatch Formation to Tiffanian Fort Union Formation in Wyoming. Three species of Barylambda are currently recognized. The creature likely lived a life similar to that of a modern tapir, browsing on foliage and soft vegetation. Barylambda seems to have been quite successful for an early pantod

Pantolambda (Greek: "all" (pantos), "lambda" (lambda), in a reference to the shape of upper premolars, similar to the Greek letter lambda) is an extinct genus of Paleocene pantodont mammal. Pantolambda lived during the middle Paleocene, and has been found both in Asia and North America.

Arctocyonidae (from Ancient Greek ἄρκτος (árktos), meaning "bear", and κύων (kúon), meaning "dog", and thus, "bear-dog") is an extinct, possibly polyphyletic family of placental mammals which lived from the late Cretaceous to the early Eocene. They were initially regarded as creodonts, though have since been reassigned to an order of their own, the Arctocyonia. Some have suggested that arctocyonids are ancestral to modern-day artiodactyls, or that they form a sister group. However, more recent phylogenetic analyses suggest that arctocyonids may represent an artificial grouping of extinct ungul

Ptilodus (meaning "soft-haired") is an extinct genus of mammals from the extinct order of Multituberculata, and lived during the Palaeocene in North America.

Sinonyx ("Chinese claw") is a genus of extinct, superficially wolf-like mesonychid mammals from the late Paleocene of China (about 56 million years ago). It is within the family Mesonychidae, and cladistic analysis of a skull of Sinonyx jiashanensis identifies its closest relative as Ankalagon. S. jiashanensis was discovered in Anhui province, China (, paleocoordinates ), in the Tuijinshan formation.

Leptictida (leptos iktis "small/slender weasel") is a possibly paraphyletic extinct order of eutherian mammals. Their classification is contentious: according to cladistic studies, they may be (distantly) related to Euarchontoglires (rodents, primates and their relatives), although they are more recently regarded as the first branch to split from basal eutherians. One recent large-scale cladistic analysis of eutherian mammals favored lepictidans as close to the placental crown-clade; and several other recent analyses that included data from Cretaceous non-eutherian mammals found Leptictis to b

Psittacotherium ("parrot beast") is an extinct genus of taeniodonts from extinct tribe Psittacotheriini within subfamily Stylinodontinae and family Stylinodontidae, that lived in North America from early to late Paleocene. With a weight between and , and length of , it had similar size of a large dog.

Titanoides is an extinct genus of pantodont mammal that lived in North Dakota and as far north as central Alberta. They were up to long and up to in weight, being the largest mammals of their habitat, a tropical swampland where the main predators were crocodiles. They had a bear-like appearance with huge canines, short limbs and five clawed digits; however, they were herbivores and probably had traits and attributes more similar to diprotodontids.

Phenacodontidae is an extinct family of large herbivorous mammals traditionally placed in the "wastebasket taxon" Condylarthra, which may instead represent early-stage perissodactyls. They lived from the late early Paleocene to early middle Eocene (about 60–50 million years ago) and their fossil remains have been found in North America and Europe. The only unequivocal Asian phenacodontid is Lophocion asiaticus.

Plesiadapidae is a family of plesiadapiform mammals related to primates known from the Paleocene and Eocene of North America, Europe, and Asia. Plesiadapids were abundant in the late Paleocene, and their fossils are often used to establish the ages of fossil faunas.

Trigonostylops is an extinct genus of South American meridiungulatan ungulate, from the Late Paleocene to Late Eocene (Itaboraian to Tinguirirican in the SALMA classification) of South America (Argentina and Peru) and Antarctica (Seymour Island). It is the only member of the family Trigonostylopidae.

Periptychidae is a family of Cretaceous–Paleocene placental mammals, known definitively only from North America. The family is part of a radiation of early herbivorous and omnivorous mammals formerly classified in the extinct order "Condylarthra", which may be related to some or all living ungulates (hoofed mammals). Periptychids are distinguished from other "condylarths" by their teeth, which have swollen premolars and unusual vertical enamel ridges. The family includes both large and small genera, with the larger forms having robust skeletons. Known skeletons of periptychids suggest generali

Pachyaena (literally, "thick hyena") was a genus of heavily built, relatively short-legged mesonychids. Mesonychids were part of the now extinct order known as Mesonychia, a group mammalian predators that evolved before modern ungulates or carnivorans. Despite this, mesonychians are found to have combined characteristics of both carnivorans and ungulates. The genus likely originated from Asia and dispersed to Europe, and from there to North America across a land bridge in what is now the North Atlantic ocean. Pachyaena would later be replaced by Dissacus in Europe.

Palaeoryctidae ("ancient diggers") is an extinct family of non-specialized eutherian mammals from extinct order Palaeoryctida, that lived in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa from the late Cretaceous to the middle Eocene.

Hyopsodontidae is an extinct family of primitive mammals, initially assigned to the order Condylarthra, living from the Paleocene to the Eocene in North America and Eurasia. Condylarthra is now thought to be a wastebasket taxon; hyopsodontids have occasionally been speculated to be related to Afrotheria, but the most recent consensus is that they are related to Perissodactyla. Analysis of the inner ear shows shared characteristics with the Equoidea (horses and paleotheres); they may be a basal ungulate group near to perissodactyls.

Hapalodectes (literal translation 'soft biter'; from ('soft, tender') and ('biter')) is an extinct genus of otter-like mesonychians from the Late Paleocene to Early Eocene, some 55million years ago. Although the first fossils were found in the Eocene strata of Wyoming, the genus originated in Mongolia, as the oldest species is H. dux, which was found in Late Paleocene strata in the Naran Bulak Formation. left|thumb|Life restoration of H. serus The genus was once suggested to be related to the Archaeoceti, such as Pakicetus, due to numerous similarities between the skull and tooth anatomies of

Pantolestidae ("all robbers") is a paraphyletic family of placental mammals from extinct order Pantolesta, that lived in North America, Asia and Europe from the early Paleocene to middle Oligocene. They first appear in North America, whence they spread to Europe and Asia.

Planetetherium is an extinct genus of herbivorous gliding mammal endemic to North America during the Paleogene living from 56.8 to 55.4 mya, existing for approximately .

Palaeoryctes ("ancient digger") is an extinct paraphyletic genus of mammals from paraphyletic subfamily Palaeoryctinae within family Palaeoryctidae, that lived in North America and Africa from middle Paleocene to early Eocene.

Dissacus is a genus of extinct carnivorous jackal to coyote-sized mammals within the family Mesonychidae, an early group of hoofed mammals that evolved into hunters and omnivores. Their fossils in Paleocene to Early Eocene aged strata in France, Asia and southwest North America, from 66 to 50.3 mya, existed for approximately .

Altiatlasius is an extinct genus of mammal, which may have been the oldest known primate, dating to the Late Paleocene (c.57 ma) from Morocco. The only species, Altiatlasius koulchii, was described in 1990.

Adapisoriculidae is an extinct family of non-placental eutherian mammals which was present during the Paleogene and possibly the Late Cretaceous. They were once thought to be members of the order Erinaceomorpha, closely related to the hedgehog family (Erinaceidae), because of their similar dentition, or to be basal Euarchontans. They were also thought to be marsupials at one point. Most recent studies show them to be non-placental eutherians, however.

Mixodectidae, from Ancient Greek μιξο (mixo) "mixed", and δεκτες (dektes) "biter", is an extinct family of insectivorous placental mammals in the order Dermoptera. The mixodectids originated in the late Cretaceous and survived into the Paleocene in Europe and North America.

Catopsalis is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of North America. This animal was a relatively large member of the extinct order of Multituberculata. Most multituberculates were much smaller.

Abdounodus ("Abdoun tooth") is an extinct genus of mammal known from the middle Paleocene of Northern Africa. The sole species, A. hamdii, is known from teeth and jaw bones discovered in the Ouled Abdoun Basin of present-day Morocco in 2001.

Ptilodontoidea is a group of extinct mammals from the Northern Hemisphere. They were generally small, somewhat rodent-like creatures of the extinct order Multituberculata.

Prolimnocyon ("before Limnocyon") is an extinct paraphyletic genus of limnocyonin hyaenodonts that lived in Asia and North America during the Late Paleocene to Middle Eocene. Prolimnocyon chowi is one of the earliest known member of the order Hyaenodonta and clade Limnocyoninae.

Stylinodontidae ("teeth with pilar-like fibers") is an extinct family of mammals from extinct superfamily Stylinodontoidea within extinct order Taeniodonta, that lived in North America from the early Paleocene to middle Eocene.

genus of mammals

Archaeohyracidae is an extinct family of notoungulate mammals known from the Paleocene through the Oligocene of South America. First named in 1897, it is now thought to be paraphyletic, rather than a genuine group of closely related animals with a single, unique, ancestor.

Yantanglestes is a genus of small, Chinese mesonychid with slender jaws that first appeared during the Early Paleocene in the Thanetian stage. It was found throughout Asia. It is the oldest known mesonychid. Yantanglestes became extinct during the Nongshanian division of the Late Paleocene, and lived sympatrically with its descendant genera, including Dissacus, Sinonyx and Jiangxia.

Bisonalveus ("animal from Bison Basin") is an extinct genus of placental mammals from family Pentacodontidae, that lived during the middle to late Paleocene. Bisonalveus fossils have been discovered in the upper Great Plains region of North America, including sites in modern-day Wyoming, North Dakota, Montana, and Alberta.

Triisodon (ancient Greek: "Tri" (three),"isos" (equal), and modern Greek: "donti" (tooth/teeth), supposedly describing tritubercular lower cheek teeth) is a genus of extinct mesonychian mammal that existed during the Early Paleocene of New Mexico, North America, from about 63.5-62.0 Ma. The genus was named by Edward Drinker Cope in 1881 as a member of the Acreodi, a now invalid taxon that encompassed creodonts, mesonychians and certain arctocyonians. Cope described the type specimen of T. quivirensis as "about the size of a wolf." A smaller species, T. crassicuspis, has also been identified fr

Prionessus is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of what is now Central Asia. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and superfamily Taeniolabidoidea. The genus was named by William Diller Matthew and Walter Granger in 1925, and is based on a single species P.lucifer.

Kogaionidae is a family of fossil mammals within the extinct order Multituberculata. Representatives are known from the Upper Cretaceous and the Paleocene of Europe. Having started as island endemics on Hațeg Island during the Upper Cretaceous, where they were in fact the dominant mammal group and diverged into rather unique ecological niches, they expanded across Europe in the Paleocene, where they briefly became a major component of its mammal fauna before their extinction. They are considered to be basal members of Cimolodonta.

Eurymylidae is a family of extinct simplicidentates. Most authorities consider them to be basal to all modern rodents and suggest they may have been the ancestral stock from which the most recent common ancestor of all modern rodents (crown rodents) arose. However, the better-known eurymylids, including Eurymylus, Heomys, Matutinia, and Rhombomylus, appear to represent a monophyletic side branch that is that is that is not directly ancestral to rodents (Meng et al., 2003). Huang et al. (2004) have argued that Hanomys, Matutinia, and Rhombomylus form a clade characterized by distinctive feature

Pentacodontidae ("teeth with five points") is an extinct family of placental mammals from extinct order Pantolesta, that lived in North America and Europe from the early to late Paleocene.

Plesiadapoidea was an extinct superfamily of primates that existed during the Paleocene and Eocene in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Sudamerica, literally "South America" in Spanish, is a genus of mammal from the extinct suborder Gondwanatheria that lived in Patagonia, Argentina (Salamanca Formation) and Antarctica (La Meseta Formation) from the Middle Paleocene (Peligran), just after the end of the "Age of Dinosaurs", to the Early Eocene (Casamayoran).

species of primate-like mammal (fossil)

Didymictis ("double weasel") is an extinct genus of placental mammals from the extinct subfamily Didymictinae within the extinct family Viverravidae, that lived in North America and Europe from the Late Paleocene to Middle Eocene.

Eucosmodon is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of North America. It is a member of the extinct order of Multituberculata within the suborder of Cimolodonta, and the family Eucosmodontidae. This genus has partly also been known as Neoplagiaulax. All known fossils of this small mammal are restricted to teeth.

Pristinictis ("primitive weasel") is an extinct genus of placental mammals from extinct subfamily Didymictinae within extinct family Viverravidae, that lived in North America during middle Paleocene.

Cimolodontidae is a family of fossil mammals within the extinct order Multituberculata. Representatives are known from the Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene of North America. The family Cimolodontidae was named by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1889 and is part of the suborder Cimolodonta within the superfamily Ptilodontoidea.

Conoryctidae ("cone diggers") is an extinct family of mammals from extinct order Taeniodonta, that lived in North America and Europe from the early Paleocene to early Eocene.

Pentacosmodon is a mammal genus from the Paleocene of North America, so it lived somewhat after the "age of the dinosaurs". It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata. It's within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Microcosmodontidae.

Acheronodon is a genus of herbivorous arboreal mammal which belongs to the family Microcosmodontidae and which was endemic to North America during the Early Paleocene subepoch (66—56.8 mya) and in existence for approximately .

Purgatoriidae is a basal plesiadapiform family that includes Purgatorius and Ursolestes. Purgatoriids are thought to represent the earliest members of the Plesiadapiformes – as well as primates.

Plagiomene is an extinct genus of early flying lemur-like mammal from North America that lived during the Eoecene epoch.

Kimbetohia is a genus of mammal belonging to the extinct order Multituberculata. It lived from the Upper Cretaceous to the Paleocene period in the United States.

Sphenopsalis is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of what is now Central Asia. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata, and lies within the suborder Cimolodonta and the superfamily Taeniolabidoidea. The genus was named by William Diller Matthew, W. Granger and George Gaylord Simpson in 1928.