Loxaulax

Taxobox
name = "Loxaulax"
fossil_range = Early Cretaceous
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Multituberculata
familia = Eobaataridae
genus = "Loxaulax"
species = "L. valdensis"
binomial = "Loxaulax valdensis"
binomial_authority = Simpson G.G., 1928

"Loxaulax" is a genus of extinct mammal from the Lower Cretaceous of southern England. Material has also been reported from the Jurassic of North America. It was a member of the also extinct order Multituberculata, and lived alongside the dinosaurs. It lies within the suborder "Plagiaulacida" and family Eobaataridae. The genus "Loxaulax" was named by Simpson G.G. in 1928 based on one species.

Fossil remains of the species "Loxaulax valdensis" consist of a tooth found in Valangian (Lower Cretaceous) strata of the Cliff End bonebed in Hastings, England. More recently, "Butler and Ford reported some IoW "(Isle of Wight)" Wealden mammal teeth several decades ago. They identified one of the teeth as belonging to the multituberculate "Loxaulax" but weren't sure about the others. Other IoW Wealden mammal teeth have been found since but have yet to be written up," (with thanks to Darren Naish).

Persons from the Isle of Wight Museum say that sieving is underway at one fossil location. This suggests new mammal finds are not unlikely.

References

* Simpson (1928), A catalogue of the Mesozoic mammalia in the geological department of the British Museum. London: British Museum (Nat Hist).
* Kielan-Jaworowska Z & Hurum JH (2001), "Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals". "Paleontology" 44, p.389-429.

* [http://home.arcor.de/ktdykes/basmult.htm Mesozodic Mammals: Plagiaulacidae, Albionbaataridae, Eobaataridae & Arginbaataridae]
* The American material is mentioned in John H Burkitt's monumental webpage; [http://216.239.39.100/search?q=cache:dCPaKoK0NcQC:www.cougarhillweb.org/mammals.pdf+loxaulax&hl=en] Mammals, A World of Living and Extinct Species.