''Loxaulax'' ("slanting groove" from Ancient Greek λοξός (loxós), “slanting, crosswise” + αὖλαξ (aûlax), "furrow, groove") is a genus of extinct mammal from the Lower

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...

of southern England. It was a member of the also extinct order

Multituberculata Multituberculata (commonly known as multituberculates, named for the multiple tubercles of their teeth) is an extinct order of rodent-like mammals with a fossil record spanning over 130 million years. They first appeared in the Middle Jurassic, a ...

, and lived alongside the

dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...

s. It lies within the suborder "

Plagiaulacida Plagiaulacida is a group of extinct multituberculate mammals. Multituberculates were among the most common mammals of the Mesozoic, "the age of the dinosaurs". Plagiaulacids are a paraphyletic grouping, containing all multituberculates that lie ...

" and family

Eobaataridae Eobaataridae is a family of fossil mammals within the order Multituberculata. Remains are known from the Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Asia. They are among the most derived representatives of the informal suborder "Plagiaulacida", and closely re ...

. The genus ''Loxaulax'' was named by Simpson G.G. in 1928 based on one species.

Fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

remains of the species ''Loxaulax valdensis'' consist of a tooth found in

Valanginian In the geologic timescale, the Valanginian is an age or stage of the Early or Lower Cretaceous. It spans between 139.8 ± 3.0 Ma and 132.9 ± 2.0 Ma (million years ago). The Valanginian Stage succeeds the Berriasian Stage of the Lower Cretace ...

(Lower Cretaceous) strata belong to the Wadhurst Clay Formation of the Cliff End bonebed in

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

, England. More recently, "Butler and Ford reported some IoW (Isle of Wight) Wealden mammal teeth several decades ago from the

Wessex Formation The Wessex Formation is a fossil-rich English geological formation that dates from the Berriasian to Barremian stages (about 145–125 million years ago) of the Early Cretaceous. It forms part of the Wealden Group and underlies the younger Vect ...

. They identified one of the teeth as belonging to the multituberculate ''Loxaulax'' but weren't sure about the others. Other IoW Wealden mammal teeth have been found since but have yet to be written up," (with thanks to Darren Naish). Representatives from the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...

Museum say that sieving is underway at one fossil location. This suggests new mammal finds are not unlikely.

remains of the species ''Loxaulax herreroi'' were found in the

Barremian The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale (or a chronostratigraphic stage) between 129.4 ± 1.5 Ma (million years ago) and 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous Epoch (or Lower Cretaceous Series). It is precede ...

-age Camarillas Formation of Galve, Spain.

References

* Simpson (1928), A catalogue of the Mesozoic mammalia in the geological department of the British Museum. London: British Museum (Nat Hist). * Kielan-Jaworowska Z & Hurum JH (2001), "Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals". ''Paleontology'' 44, p. 389-429.

External links

Mesozodic Mammals: Plagiaulacidae, Albionbaataridae, Eobaataridae & Arginbaataridae
Multituberculates Early Cretaceous mammals of Europe Barremian life Cretaceous Spain Fossils of Spain Cretaceous England Fossils of England Camarillas Formation Prehistoric mammal genera {{cretaceous-mammal-stub