Kingdom Animalia Family Docodontidae Rank Genus | Class Mammalia Phylum Chordata Order Docodonta | |
Similar Docodonta, Haldanodon, Sinoconodon, Castorocauda, Morganucodon | ||
Docodon (meaning 'beam tooth') was an omnivorous mammal from Late Jurassic of western North America.
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Description
Docodon had complex teeth, which suggest it had a diverse diet. The dentition patterns of the cusps and other molars are complex and distinct and closely resemble those of living mammals.
It was first discovered by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1880. Like other early small mammals it is known only from fossilized teeth since the rest of the body did not fossilize as efficiently. Docodon fossils are found most commonly in the Black Hills region of South Dakota and the paleoenvironment of the genus suggests that it likely inhabited woodland and stayed in trees out of the reach of predators.
Its height is estimated at 10 centimeters with an approximate weight of 30 grams. A 2006 study by J. R. Foster concluded it is the most massive mammal genus of the formation.