Eurymylidae

Eurymylidae is a family of extinct simplicidentates. Most authorities consider them to be basal to all modern rodents and may have been the ancestral stock whence the most recent common ancestor of all modern rodents (crown rodents) arose. However, the more completely known eurymylids, including Eurymylus, Heomys, Matutinia, and Rhombomylus, appear to represent a monophyletic side branch not directly ancestral to rodents (Meng et al., 2003). Huang et al. (2004) have argued that Hanomys, Matutinia, and Rhombomylus form a clade characterized by distinctive features of the skull and dentition that should be recognized as a separate family, Rhombomylidae. Eurymylids are only known from Asia.