Asionyctiinae, Missiaen & Smith, 2005

Missiaen, Pieter & Smith, Thierry, 2005, A new Paleocene nyctitheriid insectivore from Inner Mongolia (China) and the origin of Asian nyctitheriids, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 50 (3), pp. 513-522 : 514

Subfamily Asionyctiinae nov.

Type genus: Asionyctia gen. nov.

Genera included: Bumbanius Russell and Dashzeveg, 1986 ; Oedolius Russell and Dashzeveg, 1986 ; Voltaia Nessov, 1987 ; Bayanulanius Meng, Zhai, and Wyss, 1998 .

Diagnosis.—Nyctitheriids characterized by a generally primitive nature but having a structurally reduced P4/p4. Differing from all other nyctitheriids by a completely unbasined talonid on p4, and by a transversely elongated trigon and a postcingulum with a straight posterior border on the upper molars. Differing from Nyctitherium , Saturninia , Euronyctia , and Amphidozotherium by the smaller postcingulum on the upper molars. Differing from Wyonycteris , Amphidozotherium and Euronyctia by their completely straight centrocrista on the upper molars. Further differing from all Amphidozotheriinae by the larger and more complex p3, and the less reduced size of m3.

Distribution.—Late Paleocene of China and Kazakhstan, early Eocene of Mongolia.