Ptilodontidae

Taxobox
name = Ptilodontidae
fossil_range = Late Cretaceous - Paleocene

---

image_caption = Skull of "Ptilodus"
regnum = Animalia
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Multituberculata
subordo = Cimolodonta
superfamilia = Ptilodontoidea
familia = Ptilodontidae
familia_authority = Cope, 1887
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Baiotomeus"
"Kimbetohia"
"Prochetodon"
"Ptilodus"

Ptilodontidae is a family of mammals within the extinct order Multituberculata. Representatives are known from the Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene of North America.

The Ptilodontidae family was originally named Ptilodontinae and classified as a subfamily by Edward Drinker Cope in 1887. It was amended by Gregory and Simpson in 1926 to its current status.

In addition, Cope mistakenly classified the "Ptilodus" genus as a marsupial. He originally named it "Chirox", and placed it in the new family Chirogidae in 1887. Since it has been reclassifed, and Chirogidae is now officially a synonym of Ptilodontidae.

References

* Edward Drinker Cope (1887) "The marsupial genus "Chirox", "American Naturalist" 21, pg. 566-567.
* Kielan-Jaworowska, Z. & Hurum, J.H. (2001) "Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals", "Paleontology" 44, pg. 389-429.
* Much of this information has been derived from [http://home.arcor.de/ktdykes/ptilodon.htm Mesozoic Mammals: Ptilodontoidea] , an Internet directory.