Acheronodon Explained

Acheronodon is a genus of herbivorous arboreal mammal which belongs to the family Microcosmodontidae and which was endemic to North America during the Early Paleocene subepoch (66—56.8 mya) and in existence for approximately .^[1]

It is a member of the extinct order Multituberculata and lies within the suborder Cimolodonta.

The species Acheronodon garbani is known from fossils found in the Puercan (Paleocene)-age formations of Tullock Formation in Montana (United States) and possible specimens from the Porcupine Hills in Alberta, Canada. The holotype was found in Montana.

References

• Archibald (1982), "A study of Mammalia and geology across the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in Garfield County, Montana." Univ. Calif. Publ. Geol. Sci. 122, p. 1-286.
• 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 Eucosmodontidae, Microcosmodontidae and Taeniolabidoidea, an Internet directory.

Notes and References

1. http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=39837&is_real_user=1 Paleobiology Database: Acheronodon basic info.