''Stylinodon'' ("tooth with pilar-like fibers") is an

extinct Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of taeniodonts from extinct tribe Stylinodontini within subfamily

Stylinodontinae Stylinodontinae ("teeth with pilar-like fibers") is an extinct subfamily of mammals from extinct family Stylinodontidae, that lived in North America from the early Paleocene to middle Eocene The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), ...

and family

Stylinodontidae Stylinodontidae ("teeth with pilar-like fibers") is an extinct family of mammals from extinct superfamily Stylinodontoidea within extinct order Taeniodonta, that lived in North America from the early Paleocene to middle Eocene The Eocene ( ...

, that lived in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

from early to middle

Eocene The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...

.Schoch, Robert M. (1986.
"Systematics, functional morphology and macroevolution of the extinct mammalian order Taeniodonta."
Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History, (42).S. G. Lucas, R. M. Schoch, and T. E. Williamson (1998.
"Taeniodonta".
In C. M. Janis, K. M. Scott, and L. L. Jacobs (eds.)
"Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America, Volume 1: Terrestrial Carnivores, Ungulates, and Ungulate like Mammals"
Cambridge University Press, 703 pages With a weight between and , and length of , it had similar size to a

pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...

. The skull suggests it had a blunt face, and a very short snout. Its canines had developed into huge,

incisor Incisors (from Latin ''incidere'', "to cut") are the front teeth present in most mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and on the mandible below. Humans have a total of eight (two on each side, top and bottom). Opossums have 18, wher ...

-like root-less

teeth A tooth (: teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...

. ''Stylinodons

molars The molars or molar teeth are large, flat tooth, teeth at the back of the mouth. They are more developed in mammal, mammals. They are used primarily to comminution, grind food during mastication, chewing. The name ''molar'' derives from Latin, '' ...

were covered in enamel and continued growing throughout its life. Most likely, it fed on rough roots and tubers.

Phylogeny

References

External links

Photograph of skull at Utah Field House of Natural History Museum, at

Vernal, Utah Vernal, the county seat and largest city in Uintah County, is in northeastern Utah, approximately east of Salt Lake City and west of the Colorado border. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 10,079. The population has since grown t ...

Taeniodonta Eocene mammals of North America Fossil taxa described in 1874 Prehistoric mammal genera {{paleo-mammal-stub