Kogaionidae

Kogaionidae is a family of fossil mammals within the extinct order Multituberculata. Representatives are known from the Upper Cretaceous and the Paleocene of Europe. Having started as island endemics on Hateg Island during the Upper Cretaceous, where they were in fact the dominant mammal group and diverged into rather unique ecological niches, they expanded across Europe in the Paleocene, where they briefly became a major component of its mammal fauna before their extinction. They are considered to be basal members of Cimolodonta. Classification This family is part of the suborder Cimolodonta, generally accepted as closely related to Taeniolabidoidea. These small multituberculates were named by Rădulescu R. and Samson P. in 1996, who stated they "Share with Taeniolabidoidea the general shape of the skull, with anterior part of zygomatic arches directed roughly transversely and very short basicranial region, which gives the skull a square-like appearance, but differ from them in having a strongly elongated snout and different dentition," (Kielan-Jaworowska & Hurum 2001, p.418). Recent studies have favoured a position close to Taeniolabidoidea. A 2021 study found them to be the amongst the most basal members of Cimolodonta, more derived only than Bryceomys, and they probably originated from an eobaatarid-like ancestor.