Hyopsodontidae
Hyopsodontidae is an extinct family of hoofed mammals that lived during the Paleocene and Eocene epochs. These small, primitive ungulates are considered to be among the earliest and most basal members of the Perissodactyla, the order that includes horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs. Hyopsodontids were generally small, with most species no larger than a modern fox or badger. They possessed plantigrade or semi-plantigrade feet, meaning they walked on the soles of their feet, unlike modern ungulates which are digitigrade (walking on their toes). Their teeth were relatively simple, adapted for grinding plant material, suggesting a herbivorous or omnivorous diet.
The fossil record of hyopsodontids is found primarily in North America and Europe. Early members of the