Buffentidae

Buffentidae is a proposed family of extinct mammals that lived during the Paleocene epoch. The classification of Buffentidae is based on fossilized teeth and jaw fragments discovered primarily in North America. These fossils suggest that buffentids were small, herbivorous or omnivorous animals, likely resembling primitive rodents or early primates in their general appearance and lifestyle. Their dental morphology indicates a diet that included tough plant material, requiring specialized grinding surfaces. The exact phylogenetic placement of Buffentidae within the mammalian tree has been a subject of debate among paleontologists. Some researchers have tentatively placed them within the order Ungulatomorpha, a group that includes hoofed mammals, while others have suggested affinities with other early placental mammal lineages. The limited fossil record and the fragmentary nature of the specimens have contributed to the uncertainty surrounding their evolutionary relationships. Further discoveries of more complete skeletal remains would be crucial for a definitive understanding of Buffentidae's place in mammalian evolution and their ecological role during the Paleocene.