[1] A different, stem-based definition was given in 2013, in which Cladotheria contains all taxa that are closer to Mus musculus (the house mouse) than to the "symmetrodont" Spalacotherium tricuspidens.

A true talonid basin, allowing for the crushing and grinding of food, was however absent in early-diverging groups like the dryolestoids, amphitheriids and peramurids.

Cladotherians are also distinguished by a backwards-pointing angular process at the rear end of the dentary bone, below the jaw joint.

The shape of this process indicates that early cladotherians had a more transverse (side-to-side) chewing motion than more basal mammal groups.

[4] The cladogram below is simplified after a 2022 phylogenetic analysis by Lasseron and colleagues:[5] Cronopio Necrolestes Leonardus Reigitherium Orretherium Peligrotherium Coloniatherium Mesungulatum Anthracolestes Tathiodon Euthlastus Paurodon Drescheratherium Henkelotherium Amblotherium Dryolestes Laolestes Krebsotherium Thereuodon Guimarotodus Crusafontia Hercynodon Stylodens Amazighodon Anoualestes Donodon minor Donodon prescriptoris Vincelestes Amphitherium Amphibetulimus Nanolestes Palaeoxonodon Arguimus Peramus Tribosphenida