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Cimolodon
- C. electus
- C. nitidus
- C. parvus
- C. similis
Cimolodon is a genus of mammal from the Upper Cretaceous of North America. It was a member of the extinct order of Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and possibly the family Cimolodontidae. The genus Cimolodon (Marsh OC, 1889) is also known as Allacodon (partly); Cimolomys (partly); Halodon Marsh, 1889; Nanomys ("small mouse") Marsh, 1889; nomyops Marsh, 1892; Ptilodus partly. While some Cimolomys material has indeed been referred to Cimolodon, that doesn't necessarily mean that the whole genus, or a particular species has. It could well be that one-time Cimolodon fossils have subsequently also been referred to Cimolomys as well. "Cimolodon seems to be more closely related to the Paracimexomys group than are other ptilodontoideans," (Kielan-Jaworowska & Hurum, 2001, p.404). Odd as it may sound, the placement of this genus within Cimolodontidae is tentative. Its tooth enamel is gigantoprismatic, while its possible relatives favor a microprismatic style (p.418 ibid.). Species Cimolodon electus (Fox R.C., 1971) is known from the Upper Cretaceous of the Upper Milk River Formation in Alberta, Canada. The holotype is in the collection of Alberta University. Possible finds have been reported from New Mexico. Weight is estimated at 195 g, about half the weight of a rat. Cimolodon nitidus (Marsh O.C., 1889) is also known as Allacodon lentus Marsh, 1889; Allacodon rarus Marsh, 1892; Cimolomys bellus Marsh, 1889; Cimolomys digona Marsh, 1899; Cimolomys gracilis Marsh, 1889; Cimolomys minutes; Cimolomys nitidus; Halodon serratus Marsh, 1889; Nanomyops minitus Marsh, 1892; Nanomys minitus Marsh 1889; Ptilodus serratus Gidley, 1909. It is known from the Upper Cretaceous Lance Formation of Wyoming, Utah, Montana and South Dakota (USA and Canada). It weighed about 230 g. Simpson referred this species to C. gracilis in 1929. Subsequently, it has been reallocated to C. nitidus by various authors, apparently beginning with Clemens in 1963. Cimolodon parvus (Marsh O.C., 1892) is also known from the Upper Cretaceous Lance Formation of Wyoming (USA). This species was first tentatively referred to as P. cf. carvus, (Krause, 1980). Weight of about 190g. Cimolodon similis (Fox RC, 1971) is known from the Upper Cretaceous of Utah (USA). This holotype is also in Alberta University. A body weight of about 5 standard mice, 125g. References - Marsh (1892), "Discovery of Cretaceous Mammalia. Pt. III." Am. J. Sci. (3) xliii, p.249-262.
- Fox (1971), "Early Campanian multituberculates (Mammalia: Allotheria) from the upper Milk River Formation, Alberta." Canadian J of Earth Sci 8: 916.
- Kielan-Jaworowska Z & Hurum JH (2001), "Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals." Paleontology 44, p.389-429.
- Marsh (1889), "Discovery of Cretaceous Mammalia." Am. J. Sci. (3), 38, p.177-180.
Simpson (1929), "American Mesozoic Mammalia." Mem. Peabody Mus. Nat. Hist. iii (i), p.1-235.
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