Ctenacodon

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See also Ctenacodon (Plagiaulacidae), another extinct genus of the Jurassic with the same name.
Ctenacodon
Fossil range: Late Jurassic
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Multituberculata
Family: Allodontidae
Genus: Ctenacodon
Marsh, 1879
Species
  • C. laticeps
  • C. nanus
  • C. scindens
  • C. serratus
  • doubtful C. falconeri?
  • not "C. brentbaatar"

Ctenacodon is a genus of extinct mammal that lived in what is now North America during the Upper Jurassic period. It's a member of the family Allodontidae within the order Multituberculata. Ctenacodon was named by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1879. At least four species are currently recognized.

The genus Ctenacodon ("comb tooth") was named by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1879. It is also known as Allodon (Marsh 1881).

[edit] Species

The species Ctenacodon laticeps was named by Marsh in 1881 and Simpson G.G. in 1927. It has also been known as Allodon laticeps (Marsh 1881). Remains were found in the Upper Jurassic strata of the Morrison Formation in Wyoming (USA). The holotype, collected by Reed W.H. in 1880, is in the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University.

The species Ctenacodon nanus was named by Marsh in 1881. Remains were also found in Jurassic strata of the Morrison Formation of Wyoming. The type fossil for this species is also at Yale.

The species Ctenacodon scindens was named by Simpson G.G. in 1928.
Remains were found in Jurassic strata of the Morrison Formation of Wyoming. This species was originally assigned to C. serratus.

The species Ctenacodon serratus, also named by Marsh in 1879, is also known from the Morrison Formation.

"Ctenacodon" brentbaatar is to be assigned to a separate genus.

[edit] References

  • Simpson (1927), "Mesozoic Mammalia. VII. Taxonomy of Morrison multituberculates". Am. J. Sci. (5) xiv, p.36-38.
  • Kielan-Jaworowska Z. and Hurum J.H. (2001), "Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals". Paleontology 44, p.389-429.
  • Marsh (1879), "Notice of new Jurassic mammals". Amer. J. of Sci., 3pp., xviii.