Cimolestes fossil map
Where fossils of Cimolestes have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 66 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 66 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 83.6–56 million years ago (Campanian to Thanetian) |
| Periods | Cretaceous, Paleogene |
| Family | Cimolestidae |
| Named by | Marsh 1889 |
| Fossil records | 86 occurrences at 30 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Canada, Morocco, Bolivia, Belgium |
| Rock formations | Lance, Hell Creek, Frenchman, Ferris, Bear, Jbel Guersif |
About Cimolestes
Cimolestes (from Ancient Greek Κιμο λέστες, 'chalk robber') is a genus of early eutherians with a full complement of teeth adapted for eating insects and other small animals. Paleontologists have disagreed on its relationship to other mammals, in part because quite different animals were assigned to the genus, making Cimolestes a grade taxon of animals with similar features rather than a genus of closely related ones. Fossils have been found in North America, South America, Europe and Africa. Cimolestes first appeared during the Late Cretaceous of North America. According to some paleontologists, Cimolestes died out at the start of the Paleocene, while others report the genus from the early Eocene.
Most species have been described from teeth and isolated fragments. One complete articulated skeleton provisionally assigned to Cimolestes has been found. It shows a small, agile, tree-dwelling predator with long toes for grasping branches and a prehensile tail at least twice the length of its body. It has the largest number of tail vertebrae known in any mammal.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Cimolestes (revision 1354733833), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q2273848.
