Paurodon

Paurodon is an extinct genus of Late Jurassic mammal from the Morrison Formation of the Western United States.

Paurodon Temporal range: Late Jurassic Kimmeridgian–Tithonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	†Dryolestida
Family:	†Paurodontidae
Genus:	†Paurodon Marsh, 1887
Species:	†P. valens
Binomial name
†Paurodon valens Marsh, 1887
Synonyms
Archaeotrigon Simpson, 1927 Pelicopsis Simpson, 1927 Araeodon Simpson, 1937 Foxraptor Bakker and Carpenter, 1990

Taxonomy

Paurodon is the type genus of the dryolestidan group Paurodontidae. Araeodon, Archaeotrigon, Foxraptor, and Pelicopsis are apparently growth stages of Paurodon.^[1]

Distribution and stratigraphy

Remains of Paurodon have been found in stratigraphic zone 5 of the Morrison Formation in Como Bluff, Wyoming.^[2]

Biology

Paurodon was strongly convergent with modern golden moles in terms of dentition and jaw shape. This suggests that its diet was composed of earthworms (unlike other contemporary dryolestoids, which were more insectivorous)^[3] and may have even been subterranean, like the more derived Necrolestes.

See also

• Paleontology portal
• Mammals portal

• Prehistoric mammal
  • List of prehistoric mammals
• Paleobiota of the Morrison Formation