Cimolomys

Cimolomys Temporal range: Late Cretaceous
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Multituberculata
Family:	Cimolomyidae
Genus:	Cimolomys Marsh, 1889
Species
C. clarki C. gracilis C. milliensis C. trochuus

Cimolomys is a mammal genus from the Upper Cretaceous of North America. It was a member of the extinct order Multituberculata within the suborder Cimolodonta and family Cimolomyidae.

The genus Cimolomys was named by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1889. It is also known as Allacodon (partly); Meniscoessus (partly); Ptilodus (partly); and Selenacodon (partly).

Species

The species Cimolomys clarki was named by Sahni in 1972. Fossil remains were found in Campanian-Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) strata of Texas and Wyoming (USA). Possible remains have also come from New Jersey (USA). It probably weighed about 300 g, the same as a malnourished rat.

The species Cimolomys gracilis was anmed by Marsh O.C. in 1889, and has also been known as Cimolomys digona (Marsh 1889); Meniscoessus brevis; Ptilodus gracilus (Osborn H.F. 1893); and Selenacodon brevis (Marsh 1889). Remains were found in Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) strata of Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming (USA) and Saskatchewan, Canada. This species likely weighed around 415 g, as much as a modern rat.

The species Cimolomys milliensis was named by Eaton J.G. in 1993.. Remains were found in Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) strata of Mill Creek, Utah (USA).

The species Cimolomys trochuus was named by Lillegraven J.A. in 1969. Remains were found in Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) strata of North America. The holotype is in the collection of the University of Alberta.

References

• Marsh (1889), "Discovery of Cretaceous Mammalia". Am. J. Sci 3, 18 & 38: p.177-180.
• Kielan-Jaworowska Z & Hurum JH (2001), "Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals". Paleontology 44, p.389-429.
• Much of this information has been derived from [1] MESOZOIC MAMMALS; "basal" Cimolodonta, Cimolomyidae, Boffiidae and Kogaionidae, an Internet directory.