Neoplagiaulax

Neoplagiaulax is a mammal genus from the Paleocene of Europe and North America. In the case of the latter continent, there may possibly be some slightly earlier, Upper Cretaceous material too. It existed in the age immediately following the extinction of the last dinosaurs. This animal was a member of the extinct order of Multituberculata.
For those of a technical inclination, it's within the Suborder of Cimolodonta, and a member of the family Neoplagiaulacidae.

Genus: Neoplagiaulax Lemoine V, 1882
'new Plagiaulax'
Aka: Ectypodus? (partly); Plagiaulax (partly); Ptilodus (partly)
Remarks: This is something of a nomenclatural minefield. Some material has also been reassigned to Eucosmodon.

Species: Neoplagiaulax annae Vianey-Liaud M, 1986
Place: Cernay
Country: France
Age: Paleocene
Remarks:
Reference: Vianey-Liaud (1986), Les Multituberculés Thanétiens de France, et leurs rapports avec les Multituberculés Nord-Américains. Palaeontogr. Abt. A: Paläozool. Stratigr. 191 p.85-171, 3 plates.

Species: ?Neoplagiaulax burgessi Archibald JD, 1982
Place: Hell Creek[?]
Country: USA
Age: Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous
Remarks:
Reference: Archibald (1982), A study of Mammalia and Geology across the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary in Garfield County, Montana. University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, volume 122, p.242-243.

Species: Neoplagiaulax copei Lemoine V, 1885
Place: Cernay
Country: France
Age: Paleocene
Remarks: Has been cited as a possible descendant of N. hazeni.
Reference: Lemoine (1885), Étude sur quelqes mammifères de petite taille de la faune cernaysienne des environs de Reims. Bull. Soc. Géol. France 3, p.203-217, pls. x-xii.

Species: Neoplagiaulax eocaenus (Lemoine V, 1880)
Aka: N. eocänus, Plagiaulax eocaenus
Place: Cernay
Country: France
Age: Upper Paleocene
Remarks: Has also been cited as a possible descendant of N. hazeni.
Reference:

Species: Neoplagiaulax grangeri (Simpson GG, 1935) Gazin, 1969
Aka: Ectypodus? grangeri Simpson, 1935d
Place: Gidley Quarry, Montana
Country: USA
Age: Torrejonian, Paleocene
Remarks: A further possible descendant of N. hazeni. Weight of around a quarter of a standard rat, 100g.
Reference: Simpson (1935), New Paleocene mammals from the Fort Union of Montana. Proc. US Nation. Museum 83, p.221-244.

Species: Neoplagiaulax hazeni (Jepsen GL, 1940) Krause DW, 1977
Aka: Ectypodus hazeni Jepsen GL, 1940; N. fractus (partially)
Place: Princeton Quarry, Wyoming & North Dakota
Country: USA
Age: Tiffanian, Middle-Upper Paleocene
Remarks: Further material, including the type fossil, can be visited at the Peabody Museum[?], Yale. Body weight estimated at 95g.
References: Jepsen (1940), Paleocene faunas of the Polecat Bench formation, Park County, Wyoming. Pro. Amer. Philos. Soc, 83, p.217-340, 21 figs., 5pls.
Krause (1977), Paleocene multituberculates (Mammalia) of the Roche Percee Local Fauna, Ravenscrag Formation, Saskatchewan, Canada. Palaeontographica Abt. A 159, p.1-36.

Species: Neoplagiaulax hunteri (Simpson GG, 1936) Krause DW, 1977
Aka: Ectypodus hunteri Simpson, 1936c
Place: Scarritt Quarry, Montana & Wyoming & North Dakota & Alberta
Country: USA & Canada
Age: Torrejonian-Tiffanian, Middle Paleocene
Remarks: Several specimens are at the Peabody Museum[?], Yale, where the name E. is sometimes employed. Weighed about 45g.
Reference:

Species: Neoliotomus jepi Sloan RE, 1987
Place: Cedar Point Quarry, Wyoming
Country: USA
Age: Tiffanian, Paleocene
Remarks:
Reference:

Species: Neoplagiaulax kremnus Johnston PA & Fox RC, 1984
Place: Rav W-1, Saskatchewan
Country: Canada
Age: Puercan, Lower Paleocene
Remarks: Holotype in the collection of Alberta University.
Reference: Johnston & Fox (1984), Paleocene and Late Cretaceous mammals from Skaksatchewan, Canada. Paleontogr. Abt. A: Paläozool., Stratigr. 186, p.163-222.

Species: Neoplagiaulax macintyrei Sloan RE, 1981
Place: San Juan Basin, New Mexico & Utah
Country: USA
Age: Puercan, Lower Paleocene
Remarks:
Reference: Sloan (1981), Systematics of Paleocene multituberculates from the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, p. 127-160, in Lucas et al (eds), Advances in San Juan Basin paleontology. University of New Mexico Press, Alberquerque.

Species: Neoliotomus macrotomeus (Wilson, 1956) Sloan, 1987
Aka: Ectypodus macrotomeus Wilson, 1956
Place: San Juan Basin, New Mexico
Country: USA
Age: Puercan-Torrejonian, Lower Paleocene
Remarks: Possibly derived from Mesodma formosa. Weighed in at about 15g
Reference:

Species: Neoplagiaulax mckennai Sloan RE, 1987
Aka: N. mckennaiai
Place: Love Quarry, Wyoming & North Dakota
Country: USA
Age: Tiffanian, Middle-Upper Paleocene
Remarks: Weight guestimate, 60g.
Reference:

Species: Neoplagiaulax nelsoni Sloan RE, 1987
Place: Wyoming & Purgatory Hill, Montana & Alberta
Country: USA & Canada
Age: Puercan-Torrejonian, Middle-Upper Paleocene
Remarks: The type fossil is from Keefer Hill, (aka Shotgun), Wyoming. A mouse-sized 25g.
Reference:

Species: Neoplagiaulax nicolai Vianey-Liaud M, 1986
Place: Cernay
Country: France
Age: Paleocene
Remarks:
Reference: Vianey-Liaud (1986), Les Multituberculés Thanétiens de France, et leurs rapports avec les Multituberculés Nord-Américains. Palaeontogr. Abt. A: Paläozool. Stratigr. 191 p.85-171, 3 plates.

Species: Neoplagiaulax sylvani Vianey-Liaud M, 1986
Place: Cernay
Country: France
Age: Paleocene
Remarks:
Reference: Vianey-Liaud (1986), Les Multituberculés Thanétiens de France, et leurs rapports avec les Multituberculés Nord-Américains. Palaeontogr. Abt. A: Paläozool. Stratigr. 191 p.85-171, 3 plates.

Page references: Kielan-Jaworowska Z & Hurum JH (2001), Phylogeny and Systematics of multituberculate mammals. Paleontology 44, p.389-429.

(This information has been derived from [1] (http://home.arcor.de/ktdykes/ptilodon.htm) MESOZOIC MAMMALS; Ptilodontoidea, an internet directory. As that's my webpage, there are no issues of copyright. Trevor Dykes)