Hyaenotherium

Hyaenotherium Temporal range: Late Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N (Vallesian to Turolian)
Hyaenotherium hyaeneides mandible
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Hyaenidae
Subfamily:	† Ictitheriinae
Genus:	† Hyaenotherium Semenov, 1989
Type species
†Hyaenotherium wongii (Zdansky, 1924)
Other species
†H. ebu(Werdelin, 2005)
Synonyms
Species synonymy H. wongii: Ictitherium hipparionum(Gervais, 1846) Gaudryi, 1862 Palhyaena hipparionum(Gervais 1846) Kittl, 1887 Ictitherium wongiiZdansky, 1924 Ictitherium ?wongii(Zdansky, 1924) Kretzoi, 1938 Hyaenalopex atticusKretzoi, 1952 Palhyaena wongii(Zdansky, 1924) Howell & Petter, 1980 Thalassictis wongii(Zdansky, 1924) Solounias, 1981 Thalassictis mesotesKurtén, 1985 Hyaenotherium magnumSemenov, 1989 H. ebu: Ictitherium ebuWerdelin, 2005

Hyaenotherium is an extinct genus of hyaenids that lived in Eurasia and Africa during the Late Miocene. ^{[1] [2]} The type species, H. wongii, was one of the most numerous Eurasian hyaenids. More than 100 specimens of H. wongii have been discovered in China. ^[2] H. ebu from Lothagam, Kenya, differs from the type species by its limbs which are longer and significantly thinner. ^[1]

Taxonomy

Some authors argue that Hyaenotherium is a junior synonym of Hyaenictitherium (Kretzoi, 1938). ^{[3] [4]}

Palaeobiology

H. ebu had long, stilt-like limbs, which are believed to be an adaptation for increased locomotor efficiency as well as being able to see farther, especially in environments with lots of tall grass. These long, gracile limbs would also have made it suitable for pouncing on unsuspecting prey. This feature suggests that H. ebu had a lifestyle similar to the maned wolf. ^[5]

Resources

1. Semenov, Y. (2008). "Taxonomical reappraisal of "ictitheres" (Mammalia, Carnivora) from the Late Miocene of Kenya". Comptes Rendus Palevol . 7 (8): 529–539. Bibcode:2008CRPal...7..529S. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2008.09.012.
2. Werdelin, Lars; Solounias, Nikos (1991). "The Hyaenidae: taxonomy, systematics, and evolution". Fossils and Strata. 30: 1–104. doi:10.18261/8200374815-1991-01. ISBN   82-00-37481-5.
3. Kargopoulos, Nikolaos; Kampouridis, Panagiotis; Hartung, Josephina; Böhme, Madelaine (2023). "Hyaenid remains from the Late Miocene of Kutschwan (Shanxi Province, China)". Paläontologische Zeitschrift . 97 (3): 653–666. Bibcode:2023PalZ...97..653K. doi: 10.1007/s12542-023-00658-6 .
4. Kargopoulos, Nikolaos; Valenciano, Alberto; Kampouridis, Panagiotis; Vasile, Ştefan; Ursachi, Laurenţiu; Răţoi, Bogdan (2024). "The carnivoran record from the Neogene of eastern Romania". Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia. 130 (2): 331–371. Bibcode:2024RIPS..13022194K. doi: 10.54103/2039-4942/22194 .
5. van der Hoek, Julien; Werdelin, Lars (10 June 2024). "A hyaena on stilts: comparison of the limb morphology of Ictitherium ebu (Mammalia: Hyaenidae) from the Late Miocene of Lothagam, Turkana Basin, Kenya with extant Canidae and Hyaenidae". PeerJ . 12 e17405. doi: 10.7717/peerj.17405 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   11172688 . PMID   38873642.