Cimolodon is an extinct genus of cimolodontid mammal in the order Multituberculata. Specimens are known from the Late Cretaceous of North America.
Taxonomy The genus Cimolodon was named by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1889. Kielan-Jaworowska & Hurum (2001) noted that Cimolodon seems to be more closely related to members of their "Paracimexomys" group than to other ptilodontoideans.Kielan-Jaworowska Z. & Hurum J.H. (2001). "Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals". Paleontology 44, p. 389-429.
Species Cimolodon electus (Fox R.C. 1971) is known from the Upper Cretaceous of the Upper Milk River Formation in Alberta, Canada. Possible finds have been reported from New Mexico.L. J. Flynn. 1986. "Late Cretaceous mammal horizons from the San Juan Basin, New Mexico". American Museum Novitates 2845:1-30
Cimolodon nitidus (Marsh O.C. 1889) is known from Late Cretaceous strata of the Lance Formation of Wyoming, Utah, Montana and South Dakota (United States) as well as Alberta and Saskatchewan (Canada). Synonyms include Allacodon lentus (Marsh, 1889); Allacodon rarus (Marsh, 1892); Cimolomys bellus (Marsh, 1889); Cimolomys digona (Marsh, 1899); Cimolomys nitidus; Halodon serratus (Marsh, 1889); Nanomyops minitus (Marsh, 1892); Nanomys minitus (Marsh, 1889); and Ptilodus serratus (Gidley, 1909).
Cimolodon parvus (Marsh O.C. 1892) is also known from the Upper Cretaceous Lance Formation of Wyoming.Marsh (1889), "Discovery of Cretaceous Mammalia." Am. J. Sci. (3), 38, p. 177-180.Marsh (1892), "Discovery of Cretaceous Mammalia. Pt. III." Am. J. Sci. (3) xliii, p. 249-262. A specimen referred to as C. cf. nitidus has been recovered from the Prince Creek Formation.
Cimolodon similis (Fox R.C. 1971) is known from the Late Cretaceous (Santonian-early Campanian) of Alberta and Utah.Fox (1971), Early Campanian multituberculates (Mammalia: Allotheria) from the upper Milk River Formation, Alberta. Canadian Journal of Earth Sci 8: 916.J. G. Eaton, S. Diem, J. D. Archibald, C. Schierup, and H. Munk. 1999. "Vertebrate paleontology of the Upper Cretaceous rocks of the Markagunt Plateau, southwestern Utah". In D. D. Gillette (ed.), Vertebrate Paleontology in Utah, Utah Geological Survey Miscellaneous Publication 99-1:323-333 C. wardi is known from the Wahweap Formation of Utah.J. G. Eaton. 2006. Late Cretaceous mammals from Cedar Canyon, southwestern Utah. Late Cretaceous Vertebrates from the Western Interior. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 35:373-402
Cimolodon akersteni is known from the Cenomanian-age Wayan Formation of Idaho.
Cimolodon desosai is known from specimen IGM 14691, a partial skull and mandible, in addition to part of the ulna, femur, and vertebrae. These remains were found in the Campanian-aged El Gallo Formation (El Disecado Member) of Baja California, Mexico.
References
Further reading Simpson (1929), "American Mesozoic Mammalia." Mem. Peabody Mus. Nat. Hist. iii (i), p. 1-235.