Chiniquodontidae

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iChiniquodontids
Fossil range: Triassic
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Synapsida
Order: Therapsida
Suborder: Cynodontia
Family: Chiniquodontidae
Genera

Chiniquodontidae is a family of meat-eating mammal-like "reptiles" (therapsids) that lived during the Upper Triassic of South America and perhaps Europe. A further possible representative, Aleodon, has been identified from the Middle Triassic of Africa. The family is thought to have been reasonably close relations to the ancestors of mammals.

They ranged in size from tiny Gaumia (should it be a chiniquodontid) to the dog-sized Belesodon. Other fairly closely related creatures are known as Eoraetia, from the Upper Triassic of Europe, and the rather indeterminate Kunminia, from the Lower Jurassic of China.