Pantolestidae

Pantolestidae
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous–Oligocene
Palaeosinopa, from Wyoming eocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cimolesta
Suborder: Pantolesta
Family: Pantolestidae
Cope, 1884
Genera

Bessoecetor
Bisonalveus
Buxolestes
Palaeosinopa
Pantolestes
Pentacodon
Dyspterna

Pantolestidae is an extinct family of semi-aquatic, non-placental eutherian mammals. Forming the core of the equally extinct suborder Pantolesta, the pantolestids evolved as a series of increasingly otter-like forms, ranging from the Middle Paleocene (60 mya) Bessoecetor to the Late Eocene (Ergilian) (50-33 mya) Gobiopithecus and Kiinkerishella. They first appear in North America, whence they spread to Europe.[1]

  1. ^ Jehle 2005