Cimolodonta
suborder of mammals (fossil)

Cimolodonta is a clade of multituberculate mammals that lived from the Cretaceous to the Eocene. They probably lived something of a rodent-like existence until their ecological niche was assumed by true rodents. The more basal multituberculates are found in a different suborder, "Plagiaulacida", a paraphyletic group containing all non cimolodontan multituberculates.
Cimolodonta is apparently a natural (monophyletic) suborder. Remains have been identified from across the Northern Hemisphere. They first appeared during the Aptian, and completely replaced the more primitive plagiaulacidans by the early Late Cretaceous. The taxon is recognized as the informal "Paracimexomys group" and the superfamilies Djadochtatherioidea, Taeniolabidoidea, and Ptilodontoidea. Additionally, and of uncertain affinities, are the families Cimolomyidae, Boffiidae, Eucosmodontidae, Kogaionidae, Microcosmodontidae and the two genera Uzbekbaatar and Viridomys. More precise placement of these types awaits further discoveries and analysis.
Taxonomy
Suborder †Cimolodonta McKenna, 1975
Superfamily Incertae sedis
Family Incertae sedis
Subfamily Incertae sedis
Genus ?Ameribaatar Eaton & Cifelli, 2001
Genus ?Barbatodon Rãdulescu & Samson, 1986
Genus ?Bryceomys Eaton, 1995
Genus Cedaromys Eaton & Cifelli, 2001
Genus ?Dakotamys Eaton, 1995; (Early Cretaceous, Central North America)
Genus ?Fractinus Higgins, 2003
Genus Halodon Marsh, 1889
Genus Koshikibaatar Sera, 2026
Genus Ptilodus (Marsh, 1889) Gidley, 1909
Genus ?Uzbekbaatar Kielan-Jaworowska & Nesov, 1992
"Paracimexomys group" Archibald, 1982
Genus Cimexomys Sloan & Van Valen, 1965
Genus Paracimexomys Archibald, 1982
Family Boffiidae Hahn & Hahn, 1983
Genus Boffius Vianey-Liaud, 1979
Family Cimolomyidae Marsh, 1889 sensu Kielan-Jaworowska & Hurum, 2001
Genus Camurodon Shelley et al., 2026
Genus Buginbaatar Kielan-Jaworowska & Sochava, 1969
Genus Cimolomys Marsh, 1889 (syn.
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