| Hapalodectids Temporal range: Late Paleocene–Middle Eocene |
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|---|---|
| Hapalodectes serus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | †Mesonychia |
| Family: | Hapalodectidae (Szalay & Gould, 1966) |
| Genera | |
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Hapalodectes |
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Hapalodectidae (literally "Soft Biters" hapalos = "soft, tender," dêktês = "biter") is an extinct family of relatively small-bodied (1–8 kg)[1] mesonychian placental mammals from the Paleocene and Eocene of North America and Asia.[2] Hapalodectids differ from the larger and better-known mesonychids in having teeth specialized for cutting (presumably meat), while the teeth of other mesonychids, such as Mesonyx or Sinonyx, are more specialized for crushing bones.[1] Hapalodectids were once considered a subfamily of Mesonychidae,[3] but the discovery of a skull of Hapalodectes hetangensis showed additional differences justifying placement in a distinct family.[4] In particular, H. hetangensis has a postorbital bar closing the back of the orbit,[4] a feature lacking in mesonychids. The skeleton of hapalodectids is poorly known and of the post-cranial elements, only the humerus has been described. The morphology of this bone indicates less specialization for terrestrial locomotion than in mesonychids.[5]
Family Hapalodectidae