Ctenacodon
Encyclopedia
Ctenacodon is a genus of extinct mammal
that lived in what is now North America
during the Upper Jurassic
period. It's a member of the family Allodontidae
within the order Multituberculata
. Ctenacodon,also known as Allodon (Marsh 1881), was named by Othniel Charles Marsh
in 1879. At least four species
are currently recognized.
Present in stratigraphic zone 5. Remains possibly referrable to Ctenacodon have been recovered from stratigraphic zone 2.
of the Morrison Formation
in Wyoming
(USA). The holotype, collected by Reed W.H. in 1880, is in the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University
.
The species Ctenacodon nanus was named by Marsh in 1881. Remains were also found in Jurassic strata of the Morrison Formation of Wyoming. The type fossil for this species is also at Yale.
The species Ctenacodon scindens was named by Simpson G.G. in 1928.
Remains were found in Jurassic strata of the Morrison Formation of Wyoming. This species was originally assigned to C. serratus.
The species Ctenacodon serratus, also named by Marsh in 1879, is also known from the Morrison Formation.
"Ctenacodon" brentbaatar is to be assigned to a separate genus.
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
that lived in what is now North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
during the Upper Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
period. It's a member of the family Allodontidae
Allodontidae
Allodontidae is a family of extinct mammal that lived in what is now North America during the Upper Jurassic period. Allodontids were members of the order Multituberculata. They were relatively early mammals and are within the informal suborder of "Plagiaulacida". The family was named by Othniel...
within the order Multituberculata
Multituberculata
The Multituberculata were a group of rodent-like mammals that existed for approximately one hundred and twenty million years—the longest fossil history of any mammal lineage—but were eventually outcompeted by rodents, becoming extinct during the early Oligocene. At least 200 species are...
. Ctenacodon,also known as Allodon (Marsh 1881), was named by Othniel Charles Marsh
Othniel Charles Marsh
Othniel Charles Marsh was an American paleontologist. Marsh was one of the preeminent scientists in the field; the discovery or description of dozens of news species and theories on the origins of birds are among his legacies.Born into a modest family, Marsh was able to afford higher education...
in 1879. At least four species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
are currently recognized.
Present in stratigraphic zone 5. Remains possibly referrable to Ctenacodon have been recovered from stratigraphic zone 2.
Species
The species Ctenacodon laticeps was named by Marsh in 1881 and Simpson G.G. in 1927. It has also been known as Allodon laticeps (Marsh 1881). Remains were found in the Upper Jurassic strataStratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...
of the Morrison Formation
Morrison Formation
The Morrison Formation is a distinctive sequence of Late Jurassic sedimentary rock that is found in the western United States, which has been the most fertile source of dinosaur fossils in North America. It is composed of mudstone, sandstone, siltstone and limestone and is light grey, greenish...
in Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
(USA). The holotype, collected by Reed W.H. in 1880, is in the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
The species Ctenacodon nanus was named by Marsh in 1881. Remains were also found in Jurassic strata of the Morrison Formation of Wyoming. The type fossil for this species is also at Yale.
The species Ctenacodon scindens was named by Simpson G.G. in 1928.
Remains were found in Jurassic strata of the Morrison Formation of Wyoming. This species was originally assigned to C. serratus.
The species Ctenacodon serratus, also named by Marsh in 1879, is also known from the Morrison Formation.
"Ctenacodon" brentbaatar is to be assigned to a separate genus.