Oxyaenidae

Oxyaenidae Temporal range: 58.9–39.7  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Late Paleocene to Middle Eocene
skull of Palaeonictis occidentalis
reconstruction of Patriofelis ferox
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Mirorder:	Ferae
Clade:	Pan-Carnivora
Order:	† Oxyaenodonta Van Valen, 1971 [1]
Family:	† Oxyaenidae Cope, 1877 [2]
Type genus
† Oxyaena Cope, 1874
Subfamilies
†Machaeroidinae †Oxyaeninae †Palaeonictinae †Tytthaeninae
Synonyms
synonyms of order: Oxyaenida (Van Valkenburgh, 2007) synonyms of family: Oxyaenoidea (Osborn, 1910)

Oxyaenidae ("sharp hyenas") is a family of extinct carnivorous placental mammals. ^[3] Traditionally classified in order Creodonta, this group is now classified in its own order Oxyaenodonta ("sharp tooth hyenas") within clade Pan-Carnivora in mirorder Ferae. The group contains four subfamilies comprising fourteen genera. Oxyaenids were the first to appear during the late Paleocene in North America, while smaller radiations of oxyaenids in Europe and Asia occurred during the Eocene. ^[4]

Etymology

The name of order Oxyaenodonta comes from Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús) 'sharp', name of hyena genus Hyaena and from Ancient Greek ὀδούς (odoús) 'tooth'.

The name of family Oxyaenidae comes from Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús) 'sharp', name of hyena genus Hyaena and taxonomic suffix "-idae". ^[5]

Description

They were superficially cat-like mammals that walked on flat feet, in contrast to modern cats, which walk and run on their toes. Anatomically, characteristic features include a short, broad skull, deep jaws, and teeth designed for crushing rather than shearing, as in the hyaenodonts or modern cats.^{[ citation needed ]}

Oxyaenids were specialized carnivores that preyed on other terrestrial vertebrates, eggs and insects. They were capable of climbing trees, which is suggested by fossil evidence of their paws.^{[ citation needed ]}

Classification and phylogeny

Taxonomy

Order: †OxyaenodontaVan Valen, 1971 Family: †OxyaenidaeCope, 1877 Subfamily: † Machaeroidinae Matthew, 1909 Genus: † Apataelurus Scott, 1938 †Apataelurus kayiScott, 1938 †Apataelurus pishigouensisTong & Lei, 1986 Genus: † Diegoaelurus Zack, Poust & Wagner, 2022 Diegoaelurus vanvalkenburghaeZack, Poust & Wagner, 2022 Genus: † Isphanatherium Lavrov & Averianov, 1998 Isphanatherium ferganensisLavrov & Averianov, 1998 Genus: † Machaeroides Matthew, 1909 †Machaeroides eothenMatthew, 1909 †Machaeroides simpsoniDawson, 1986 Incertae sedis : †Machaeroidinae sp. [CM 2386] Zack, 2019 †Machaeroidinae sp. [FMNH PM 1506] Tomiya, 2021 †Machaeroidinae sp. [USNM 173514] Zack, 2019 Subfamily: † Oxyaeninae Cope, 1877 Genus: † Argillotherium Davies, 1884 †Argillotherium toliapicumDavies, 1884 Genus: † Dipsalidictis (paraphyletic genus)Matthew & Granger, 1915 †Dipsalidictis aequidensMatthew & Granger, 1915 †Dipsalidictis krauseiGunnell & Gingerich, 1991 †Dipsalidictis platypusMatthew & Granger, 1915 †Dipsalidictis transiensMatthew & Granger, 1915 Genus: † Malfelis Stucky & Hardy, 2007 †Malfelis badwaterensisStucky & Hardy, 2007 Genus: † Oxyaena Cope, 1874 †Oxyaena forcipataCope, 1874 †Oxyaena guloMatthew & Granger, 1915 †Oxyaena intermediaDenison, 1938 †Oxyaena lupinaCope, 1874 †Oxyaena pardalisMatthew & Granger, 1915 †Oxyaena simpsoniVan Valen, 1966 †Oxyaena woutersiLange-Badré & Godinot, 1982 †Oxyaena sp. [Europe] Solé, 2011 Genus: † Patriofelis Leidy, 1870 †Patriofelis feroxMarsh, 1872 †Patriofelis ultaLeidy, 1870 Genus: † Protopsalis Cope, 1880 †Protopsalis tigrinusCope, 1880 Genus: † Sarkastodon Granger, 1938 †Sarkastodon henanensisTong & Lei, 1986 †Sarkastodon mongoliensisGranger, 1938 Subfamily: † Palaeonictinae Denison, 1938 Genus: † Ambloctonus Cope, 1875 †Ambloctonus majorDenison, 1938 †Ambloctonus priscusMatthew & Granger, 1915 †Ambloctonus sinosusCope, 1875 Genus: † Dipsalodon (paraphyletic genus)Jepsen, 193) †Dipsalodon churchillorumRose, 1981 †Dipsalodon matthewiJepsen, 1930 †Dipsalodon sp. [UM 71172] Rose, 1981 Genus: † Palaeonictis de Blainville, 1842 †Palaeonictis giganteade Blainville, 1842 †Palaeonictis occidentalisOsborn, 1892 †Palaeonictis peloriaRose, 1981 †Palaeonictis wingiChester, 2010 Subfamily: † Tytthaeninae Gunnell & Gingerich, 1991 Genus: † Tytthaena Gingerich, 1980 †Tytthaena lichna(Rose, 1981) †Tytthaena parrisiGingerich, 1980

Phylogeny

Cladogram according to Gunnel in 1991: ^[6]

Oxyaenidae	Tytthaena parrisi Tytthaena lichna Palaeonictis occidentalis Palaeonictis peloria Dipsalodon matthewi Dipsalodon churchillorum Dipsalidictis krausei Dipsalidictis transiens Dipsalidictis platypus Dipsalidictis aequidens Oxyaena gulo Oxyaena intermedia Oxyaena forcipata

Temporal distribution

Within clade Pan-Carnivora

Within family Oxyaenidae

See also

• Mammal classification
• Ferae
• Creodonta

References

1. Van Valen, Leigh (1971). "Adaptive Zones and the Orders of Mammals". Evolution. 25 (2): 420–428. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1971.tb01898.x . PMID   28563121.
2. E. D. Cope (1877.) "Report upon the extinct Vertebrata obtained in New Mexico by parties of the expedition of 1874." Report upon United States Geographical Surveys West of the One Hundredth Meridian, in charge of First Lieut. G.M. Wheeler, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Vol. IV Paleontology, Part II, pp. 1-365. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
3. Halliday, Thomas J. D.; Upchurch, Paul; Goswami, Anjali (2015). "Resolving the relationships of Paleocene placental mammals" (PDF). Biological Reviews. 92 (1): 521–550. doi:10.1111/brv.12242. ISSN   1464-7931. PMC   6849585 . PMID   28075073.
4. Gunnel, Gregg F.; Gingerich, Philip D. (30 Sep 1991). "Systematics and evolution of late Paleocene and early Eocene Oxyaenidae (Mammalia, Creodonta) in the Clarks Fork Basin, Wyoming" (PDF). Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology. 28 (7). The University of Michigan: 141–180. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
5. Dixon, Dougal (2008). World Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures. Lorenz Books. ISBN   978-0754817307.
6. Gunnel, Gregg F.; Gingerich, Philip D. (1991). "Systematics and evolution of late Paleocene and early Eocene Oxyaenidae (Mammalia, Creodonta) in the Clarks Fork Basin, Wyoming" (PDF). Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology. 28 (7). The University of Michigan: 141–180.

Further reading

• David Lambert and the Diagram Group. The Field Guide to Prehistoric Life. New York: Facts on File Publications, 1985. ISBN   0-8160-1125-7