Spalacotheriidae is a family of extinct mammals belonging to the paraphyletic group 'Symmetrodonta'. They lasted from the Early Cretaceous to the Campanian in North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa.
Spalacotheriidae Temporal range: Early Cretaceous - Late Cretaceous,
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Restoration of Yaverlestes | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | †Symmetrodonta |
Superfamily: | †Spalacotherioidea |
Family: | †Spalacotheriidae Marsh, 1887 |
Genera | |
See text |
Spalacotheriids are characterised by having molar teeth with three molar cusps sitting at acute angles to one another.[1] The shape of their teeth as well as their long lower jaw indicate a carnivorous/insectivorous diet.[2]
A sub-group of Spalacotheriidae, the spalacolestines, lack a Meckelian groove in the jaw, indicating that they had a modern ear anatomy.[1]