cimolodontids

Cimolodontids were a family of multituberculate mammals that lived during the Late Cretaceous and Paleocene epochs. Multituberculates were a successful and diverse group of early mammals, distinguished by their unique dental adaptations, particularly a large, serrated lower premolar. Cimolodontids are considered among the most derived of the multituberculates.

Fossils of cimolodontids have been found primarily in North America and Europe. They are known from skeletal remains, including skulls and teeth, which provide crucial information about their anatomy and evolutionary relationships. The dentition of cimolodontids, like other multituberculates, suggests a diet that likely included seeds, nuts, and possibly insects, though their exact dietary habits are still debated among paleontologists.

The evolutionary history of cimolodontids places them within the order Multituberculata, a lineage that persisted for over 100 million years, making them one of the longest-lived mammalian clades. Cimolodontids represent a later stage in multituberculate evolution, with specialized features that set them apart from earlier forms. The extinction of the cimolodontids, along with the rest of the multituberculates, occurred by the end of the Paleocene, likely due to competition from the rapidly diversifying placental mammals that emerged after the K-Pg extinction event. Their fossil record provides valuable insights into the early diversification and eventual demise of this unique mammalian group.