Priacodon is an extinct genus of Late Jurassic eutriconodont mammal from the Alcobaça Formation of Portugal and the Morrison Formation of the midwestern United States. It is present in stratigraphic zones 4–6 of the latter. The genus contains four known species: P. ferox, P. fruitaensis, P. lulli and P. robustus.
| Priacodon
| |
|---|---|
| Lower jaw (LACM 135530) of P. fruitaensis, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Family: | †Triconodontidae |
| Genus: | †Priacodon
Marsh, 1887 |
| Type species | |
| †Priacodon ferox
Marsh, 1880 | |
Jaw and teeth[]
A study on the jaw and teeth of Priacodon suggests that eutriconodonts, while specialized towards a carnivorous diet, had a more passive jaw roll than modern therian carnivores. It also demonstrates that embrasure occlusion was present in all eutriconodonts, as opposed to one-to-one patterns as previously assumed for the family Triconodontidae.