Prionessus

Taxobox
name = "Prionessus"
fossil_range = Paleocene
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Multituberculata
superfamilia = Taeniolabidoidea
genus = "Prionessus"
species = "P. lucifer"
binomial = "Prionessus lucifer"
binomial_authority = Matthew and Granger, 1925

"Prionessus" is a genus of extinct mammal from the Paleocene of Central Asia. It was a relatively large member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and superfamily Taeniolabidoidea. The genus was named by Matthew W.D. and Granger W. in 1925 and is based on a single species.

The species "Prionessus lucifer" was named by Matthew W.D. and Granger W. in 1925. Fossil remains have been found in the Upper Paleocene strata of Gashato, Naran and Nomogen in Bayan Ulan of Mongolia and China.

References

* Matthew and Granger (1925), "Fauna and Correlation of the Gashato Formation of Mongolia". "Am. Museum Novitates" 189, p.1-12.
* Kielan-Jaworowska Z. and Hurum J.H. (2001), "Phylogeny and Systematics of Multituberculate Mammals". "Paleontology" 44, p.389-429.
* Much of this information has been derived from [http://home.arcor.de/ktdykes/Taenio.htm] MESOZOIC MAMMALS: Eucosmodontidae, Microcosmodontidae and Taeniolabidoidea, an Internet directory.