Spalacotheriidae

Spalacotheriidae is a family of extinct mammals belonging to the paraphyletic group 'Symmetrodonta'. They lasted from the Early Cretaceous to the Campanian in North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Spalacotheriidae Temporal range: Early Cretaceous - Late Cretaceous, 145–70 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Restoration of Yaverlestes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	†Symmetrodonta
Superfamily:	†Spalacotherioidea
Family:	†Spalacotheriidae Marsh, 1887
Genera
See text

Spalacotheriids are characterised by having molar teeth with three molar cusps sitting at acute angles to one another.^[1] The shape of their teeth as well as their long lower jaw indicate a carnivorous/insectivorous diet.^[2]

A sub-group of Spalacotheriidae, the spalacolestines, lack a Meckelian groove in the jaw, indicating that they had a modern ear anatomy.^[1]

Genera

• Akidolestes
• Infernolestes
• Spalacotherium
• Symmetrolestes
• Spalacolestinae^[2]
  • Aliaga
  • Heishanlestes
  • Lactodens
  • Shalbaatar
  • Spalacolestes
  • Spalacotheridium
  • Spalacotheroides
  • Symmetrodontoides
  • Yaverlestes