Hapalodectes

Hapalodectes Temporal range: Late Paleocene to Middle Eocene
Skull (IVPP V12385) of H. hetangensis, Paleozoological Museum of China
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	†Mesonychia
Family:	†Hapalodectidae
Genus:	†Hapalodectes Matthew, 1909
Species
See text

Hapalodectes (literal translation 'soft biter'; from Ancient Greek: ἁπαλός hapalos ('soft, tender') and δῆκτῆς dêktês ('biter')) is an extinct genus of otter-like mesonychians from the Late Paleocene to Early Eocene, some 55 million years ago. Although the first fossils were found in the Eocene strata of Wyoming, the genus originated in Mongolia, as the oldest species is H. dux, which was found in Late Paleocene strata in the Naran Bulak Formation.

Life restoration of H. serus

The genus was once suggested to be related to the Archaeoceti, such as Pakicetus, due to numerous similarities between the skull and tooth anatomies of the two genera. Now, however, Hapalodectes and other mesonychians are thought to be related to basal artiodactyls, while the Archaeoceti are now determined to be descended from more derived artiodactyls, like Indohyus, which are related to hippopotamuses and anthracotheres.

H. dux possessed distinct conules on its upper molars.

Species

• Genus Hapalodectes
  • H. anthracinus Zhou et Gingerich, 1991
  • H. dux Lopatin, 1999
  • H. hetangensis Ting et Li, 1987
  • H. huanghaiensis Tong et Wang, 2006
  • H. leptognathus Osborn et Wortman, 1892
  • H. lopatini Solé et al., 2017
  • H. paleocenus Beard et al., 2010
  • H. serus Matthew et Granger, 1925