Metatomarctus Temporal range: | |
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Fossil skull cast, Florida Museum of Natural History | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Canidae |
Subfamily: | † Borophaginae |
Tribe: | † Borophagini |
Genus: | † Metatomarctus Wang et al., 1999 |
Species: | †M. canavus |
Binomial name | |
†Metatomarctus canavus (Simpson, 1932) | |
Metatomarctus is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lived during the Early to Middle Miocene, 23–16 Mya, existing for approximately 7 million years [1] It was an intermediate-size canid, and more predaceous than earlier borophagines. [2]
It hunted in packs,[ citation needed ] like modern canines, and may have preyed upon creatures such as Equus , rodents, and other smaller prey.[ citation needed ]