Paulchoffatiidae

Paulchoffatiidae is a family of extinct mammals that lived predominantly during the Late Jurassic epoch, though a couple of genera are known from the Early Cretaceous. Fossils have been reported from Europe (Portugal, Spain, Germany, and England). Paulchoffatiids were members of the order Multituberculata. They were relatively early representatives and are within the informal suborder of "Plagiaulacida". The family was named by G. Hahn in 1969, and it honors the Portuguese geologist Léon Paul Choffat.

The most productive fossil site for Paulchoffatiids has been Guimarota, Portugal. Remains from this locality are generally diagnosed on the basis of lower or upper jaws. In only one instance, that of Kuehneodon, has it been possible to match the two up. Some of the lower jaws probably represent the same animals as some of the upper, so the diversity of Paulchoffatiids is very possibly exaggerated. As the site is now a flooded, disused coalmine, further excavations are highly unlikely. However, other locations may yet provide more clarity.

The Paulchoffatiids have been further arranged into two subfamilies and a couple of other genera.

Taxonomy

Two subfamilies of Paulchoffatiidae are recognised.<ref name="MartinEtAl2019" /> One is known as Paulchoffatiinae.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The other is known as Kuehneodontinae.<ref name="MartinEtAl2019" /> The subfamily Paulchoffatiinae includes Paulchoffatia, Bathmochoffatia, Guimarotodon, Henkelodon, Kielanodon, Meketibolodon, Meketichoffatia, Plesiochoffatia, Pseudobolodon, Galveodon, Sunnyodon, and Xenachoffatia. The subfamily Kuehneodontinae, meanwhile, is a taxon restricted to one genus, Kuehneodon, with seven species. Rugosodon from the Middle Jurassic of China, known from a mostly complete skeleton, was formerly referred to the family,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> but was later considered an indeterminate member of the Paulchoffatiid-line.<ref name="MartinEtAl2019">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Subclass †Allotheria Marsh, 1880

• Order †Multituberculata Cope, 1884:
  • Suborder †Plagiaulacida Simpson 1925
    • Family †Paulchoffatiidae Hahn, 1969
      • Subfamily †Paulchoffatiinae Hahn, 1971
        • Genus †Paulchoffatia Kühne, 1961
          • Species †P. delgadoi Kühne, 1961
        • Genus †Pseudobolodon Hahn, 1977
          • Species †P. oreas Hahn, 1977
          • Species †P. krebsi Hahn & Hahn, 1994
        • Genus †Henkelodon Hahn, 1987
          • Species †H. naias Hahn, 1987
        • Genus †Guimarotodon Hahn, 1969
          • Species †G. leiriensis Hahn, 1969
        • Genus †Meketibolodon (Hahn, 1978) Hahn, 1993
          • Species †M. robustus (Hahn, 1978) Hahn, 1993
        • Genus †Plesiochoffatia Hahn & Hahn, 1999
          • Species †P. thoas Hahn & Hahn, 1998
          • Species †P. peparethos Hahn & Hahn, 1998
          • Species †P. staphylos Hahn & Hahn, 1998
        • Genus †Xenachoffatia Hahn & Hahn, 1998
          • Species †X. oinopion Hahn & Hahn, 1998
        • Genus †Bathmochoffatia Hahn & Hahn, 1998
          • Species †B. hapax Hahn & Hahn, 1998
        • Genus †Kielanodon Hahn, 1987
          • Species †K. hopsoni Hahn, 1987
        • Genus †Meketichoffatia Hahn, 1993
          • Species †M. krausei Hahn, 1993
        • Genus †Galveodon Hahn & Hahn, 1992
          • Species †G. nannothus Hahn & Hahn, 1992
        • Genus †Sunnyodon Kielan-Jaworowska & Ensom, 1992
          • Species †S. notleyi Kielan-Jaworowska & Ensom, 1992
      • Subfamily †Kuehneodontinae Hahn, 1971
        • Genus †Kuehneodon Hahn, 1969
          • Species †K. dietrichi Hahn, 1969
          • Species †K. barcasensis Hahn & Hahn, 2001
          • Species †K. dryas Hahn, 1977
          • Species †K. guimarotensis Hahn, 1969
          • Species †K. hahni Antunes, 1988
          • Species †K. simpsoni Hahn, 1969
          • Species †K. uniradiculatus Hahn, 1978

Palaeobiology

Tooth occlusion in paulchoffatiids was inexact and imprecise compared to in other multituberculates, as indicated by dental microwear. Paulchoffatiid mastication occurred in two phases: a puncture-crushing cycle and a grinding cycle.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

References

• Hahn G. and Hahn R. (2000), Multituberculates from the Guimarota mine, p. 97-107 in Martin T. and Krebs B. (eds), Guimarota - A Jurassic Ecosystem, Published by Dr Friedrich Pfeil in Münich, Germany.
• Kielan-Jaworowska Z. and Hurum J.H. (2001), "Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals". Paleontology 44, p. 389-429.
• Much of this information has been derived from [1] MESOZOIC MAMMALS; Basal Multituberculata, an Internet directory.