Last updated A black bear eating dandelions – an example of a hypocarnivore
A hypocarnivore is an animal that consumes less than 30% meat for its diet, the majority of which consists of fungi, fruits, and other plant material.[1] Examples of living hypocarnivores are the grizzly bear (Ursus horribilis), black bear (Ursus americanus), binturong (Arctictis binturong), kinkajou (Potos flavus), and humans (Homo sapiens).
The evolutionary division of carnivory into three groups, including hypercarnivore and mesocarnivore, appears to have occurred about 40 million years ago (mya). The term hypocarnivory is used with increasing frequency in describing early Canidae evolution, and reliance upon that survival strategy has a documented history in North AmericanBorophaginae during the Miocene (23.03 to 5.33 mya). Twenty-five species of hypocarnivore are documented as co-occurring on the North American continent 30 mya.[2] A shift from hyper- to hypo- occurred at least three times among Oligocene and Miocene canidsOxetocyon, Phlaocyon, and Cynarctus.
Large hypocarnivores (Ursus) were rare and developed in the mid-to-late Miocene-Pliocene as Borophaginae became extinct.
Dentition
Examination of dentition shows that post-carnassial molar volume expands with hypocarnivores while decreasing in hypercarnivores.[3]Prohesperocyon (38 mya—33.9 mya) displayed a shift in relative proportion between slicing and grinding functions indicative of a dietary shift away from vertebrate foods to one including fruits.
↑ Wang, X., Tedford, R. H. and Taylor, B. E. (1999). "Phylogenetic systematics of the Borophaginae (Carnivora: Canidae)". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 243: 1–391.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ Ewer, R. F. (1973). The Carnivores. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Canidae is a biological family of dog-like carnivorans, colloquially referred to as dogs, and constitutes a clade. A member of this family is also called a canid. The family includes three subfamilies: the extant Caninae and the extinct Borophaginae and Hesperocyoninae. The Caninae are known as canines, and include domestic dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals and other extant and extinct species.
Amphicyonidae is an extinct family of terrestrial carnivorans belonging to the suborder Caniformia. They first appeared in North America in the middle Eocene, spread to Europe by the late Eocene, and further spread to Asia and Africa by the early Miocene. They had largely disappeared worldwide by the late Miocene, with the latest recorded species at the end of the Miocene in Africa. They were among the first carnivorans to evolve large body size. Amphicyonids are colloquially referred to as "bear-dogs".
Aelurodon is an extinct canid genus of the subfamily Borophaginae which lived from the Barstovian land mammal age of the middle Miocene to the late Miocene epoch. Aelurodon existed for approximately 10.7 million years.
The extinct Borophaginae form one of three subfamilies found within the canid family. The other two canid subfamilies are the extinct Hesperocyoninae and extant Caninae. Borophaginae, called "bone-crushing dogs", were endemic to North America during the Oligocene to Pliocene and lived roughly 34—2.5 million years ago, existing for about 33.5 million years.
Phlaocyon is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lives from the Early Oligocene to the Early Miocene epoch 33.3–16.3 Mya, existing for approximately 17.3 million years. It is closely related to Cynarctoides.
Hesperocyon is an extinct genus of canids that was endemic to North America, ranging from southern Canada to Colorado. It appeared during the Uintan age, –Bridgerian age (NALMA) of the Mid-Eocene– 42.5 Ma to 31.0 Ma. (AEO). Hesperocyon existed for approximately 11.5 million years.
Cynodesmus is an extinct genus of omnivorous canine which inhabited North America during the Oligocene living from 33.3—-26.3 Ma and existed for approximately 7 million years.
The Caninae, known as canines, are one of three subfamilies found within the canid family. The other two canid subfamilies are the extinct Borophaginae and Hesperocyoninae. The Caninae includes all living canids and their most recent fossil relatives. Their fossils were first found in North America and dated to the Oligocene era, then spreading to Asia at the end of the Miocene era, some 7 million to 8 million years ago.
The extinct Hesperocyoninae are one of three subfamilies found within the canid family. The other two canid subfamilies are the extinct Borophaginae and extant Caninae.
A hypercarnivore is an animal which has a diet that is more than 70% meat, either via active predation or by scavenging. The remaining non-meat diet may consist of non-animal foods such as fungi, fruits or other plant material. Some extant examples of hypercarnivorous animals include crocodilians, owls, shrikes, eagles, vultures, felids, most wild canids, cetaceans, snakes, spiders, scorpions, mantises, marlins, groupers, piranhas and most sharks. Every species in the family Felidae, including the domesticated cat, is a hypercarnivore in its natural state. Additionally, this term is also used in paleobiology to describe taxa of animals which have an increased slicing component of their dentition relative to the grinding component. Hypercarnivores need not be apex predators. For example, salmon are exclusively carnivorous, yet they are prey at all stages of life for a variety of organisms.
Tomarctus is a canid genus of the extinct subfamily Borophaginae which inhabited most of North America during the late Early Miocene to the Early Barstovian age of the Middle Miocene. Tomarctus existed for approximately 6.83 million years.
Euoplocyon is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lived during the Early to Middle Miocene, 20.6—13.6 Mya, existing for about 7 million years. A member of the Borophagini tribe, it was an intermediate-sized canid, with specialisations towards a heavily meat-based diet.
Cynarctina is an extinct clade of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. They lived from the Early to Middle Miocene 16.0—10.3 Ma, existing for approximately 5.7 million years. Cynarctines had rounded cusps on the molar teeth, similar to those seen in living bears, suggesting that they were likely omnivores.
Borophagina is a subtribe of the Borophaginae, a group of extinct canids. They inhabited much of North America from the Early Miocene to the Zanclean stage of the Pliocene, 20.6—3.6 Mya, and existed for approximately 17 million years.
Borophagus dudleyi is an extinct species of the genus Borophagus of the subfamily Borophaginae, a group of canids endemic to North America from the late Hemphillian of the Miocene epoch through the Pliocene epoch. Borophagus dudleyi existed for approximately 5.4 million years.
Borophagus littoralis is an extinct species of the genus Borophagus of the subfamily Borophaginae, a group of canids endemic to North America from the early Miocene epoch through the Pliocene epoch. Borophagus littoralis existed for approximately 18.4 million years.
Borophagus secundus is an extinct species of the genus Borophagus of the subfamily Borophaginae, a group of canids endemic to North America from the Early Miocene epoch through the Late Miocene epoch. Borophagus secundus existed for approximately 17.7 million years.
Phlaocyon achoros is an extinct species of the genus Phlaocyon, belonging to the subfamily Borophaginae and tribe Phlaocyonini, a canid which inhabited the southeastern North America from the Late Oligocene to Miocene living 24.6—20.8 mya and existed for approximately 4.2 million years.
Phlaocyon annectens is an extinct species of the genus Phlaocyon, belonging to the subfamily Borophaginae and tribe Phlaocyonini, a canid endemic to central and western North America from the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene living 24.6—20.8 mya and existed for approximately 4.2 million years.
Phlaocyon latidens is an extinct species of the genus Phlaocyon, belonging to the subfamily Borophaginae and tribe Phlaocyonini, a canid which inhabited northwestern North America from the Late Oligocene to Miocene living 33.3–20.6 mya and existed for approximately 12.7 million years.
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