Conoryctella
genus of extinct placental mammals
Conoryctella ("cone digger of earth") is an extinct genus of taeniodonts from extinct tribe Conoryctellini within extinct subfamily Conoryctinae and extinct family Conoryctidae, that lived in North America during the early Paleocene.
History
C.L. Gazin named the genus and the type species, Conoryctella dragonensis, in 1939, based on a portion of the left maxilla (upper jawbone) and teeth collected in 1938.
Until 1981, the species was known only from the 1939 holotype described by Gazin.
A second species, C. pattersoni, was described by Robert M. Schoch and Spencer Lucas in 1982. The species was described based on material from the Nacimiento Formation, in New Mexico's San Juan Basin, and named after Bryan Patterson.
Type locality
The type locality is Dragon Canyon, found in the North Horn Formation, Utah.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Conoryctella” as genus of extinct placental mammals. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as genus of extinct placental mammals. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 22, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q113426048. The first chronological checks are 1939, 1938, 1981 and 1982.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Conoryctella”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Conoryctella primary sources, Conoryctella archive and Conoryctella research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Conoryctella”?
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This entry incorporates text from “Conoryctella” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.