Borophagus parvus
Borophagus parvus |
|
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Order: | |
Family: | |
Subfamily: | |
Genus: |
†Borophagus parvus
Wang, et al (1999)
|
Lua error in Module:Taxonbar/candidate at line 22: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Borophagus parvus ("devouring glutton") is an extinct species of the genus Borophagus, of the subfamily Borophaginae, a group of canids (bear-dog) endemic to North America from the late Hemphillian of the Miocene epoch through the Pliocene epoch 10.3—4.9 Ma, existing for approximately 5.4 million years.[1]
Contents
Overview
Borophagus, like other Borophaginae, are loosely known as "bone-crushing" or "hyena-like" dogs. Though not the most massive borophagine by size or weight, it had a more highly evolved capacity to crunch bone than earlier, larger genera such as Epicyon, which seems to be an evolutionary trend of the group (Turner, 2004). During the Pliocene epoch, Borophagus began being displaced by Canis genera such as Canis edwardii and later by Canis dirus. Early species of Borophagus were placed in the genus Osteoborus until recently, but the genera are now considered synonyms. Borophagus parvus possibly led a hyena-like lifestyle scavenging carcasses of recently dead animals.
Taxonomy
Paracynarctus was named by Wang et al. (1999). Its type is Paracynarctus sinclairi. It was assigned to Cynarctina by Wang et al. (1999).
Morphology
Typical features of this genus are a bulging forehead and powerful jaws; it was probably a scavenger.[2] Its crushing premolar teeth and strong jaw muscles would have been used to crack open bone, much like the hyena of the Old World. The adult animal is estimated to have been about 80 cm in length, similar to a coyote, although it was much more powerfully built.[3]
Two fossil specimens of Borophagus parvus were measured by Legendre and Roth in 1988. They estimated that the first specimen weighed Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). and the second weighed Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value)..[4]
Species
- Borophagus diversidens existed for 3.1 million years (synonymous with Felis hillianus, Hyaenognathus matthewi, Hyaenognathus pachyodon, Hyaenognathus solus, Porthocyon dubius)
- Borophagus dudleyi existed for 19.7 million years
- Borophagus hilli existed for 19.7 million years (synonymous with Osteoborus crassapineatus, Osteoborus progressus)
- Borophagus littoralis existed for 13 million years (syn. Osteoborus diabloensis)
- Borophagus orc existed for 5.4 million years
- Borophagus pugnator existed for 18 million years (synonymous with Osteoborus galushai)
- Borophagus secundus existed for 18 million years (synonymous with Hyaenognathus cyonoides, Hyaenognathus direptor)
Existence based on age of fossil collections and recombination with other species.
Sister genera
Carpocyon, Epicyon, Paratomarctus and Protepicyon.
See also
References
- ↑ PaleoBiology Database: Borophagus parvus, basic info
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ S. Legendre and C. Roth. 1988. Correlation of carnassial tooth size and body weight in recent carnivores (Mammalia). Historical Biology: p. 85-98
- Alan Turner, "National Geographic: Prehistoric Mammals" (Washington, D.C.: Firecrest Books Ltd., 2004), pp. 112-114. ISBN 0-7922-7134-3
- Xiaoming Wang, "The Origin and Evolution of the Dog Family" Accessed 1/30/06.
Further reading
- Picture of an Osteoborus skull in a museum, from "World of the Wolf." (Accessed 6/19/06)
- Russell Hunt, "Ecological Polarities Of the North American Family Canidae: A New Approach to Understanding Forty Million Years of Canid Evolution" (Accessed 1/30/06).
- Wang et al., "Phylogenetic Systematics of the Borophaginae (Carnivora:Canidae)." Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, No. 243, Nov. 17 1999. (PDF) (Accessed 4/11/06)
<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>
<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>