Oxyaeninae

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Oxyaeninae
Temporal range: 56.2–39.7  Ma
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
late Paleocene to middle Eocene
Patriofelis-mount.jpg
Patriofelis ferox skeleton
Sarkastodon mongoliensis NT.jpg
Reconstruction of
Sarkastodon mongoliensis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Clade: Pan-Carnivora
Order: Oxyaenodonta
Family: Oxyaenidae
Subfamily: Oxyaeninae
Trouessart, 1885
Type genus
Oxyaena
Cope, 1874
Genera
Synonyms
  • Oxyaenidae (Cope, 1877)

Oxyaeninae ("sharp hyenas") is an extinct subfamily of placental mammals from extinct family Oxyaenidae, that lived in Asia, North America and Europe from the late Paleocene to middle Eocene. [1] [2]

Contents

Etymology

The name of the subfamily translates as "sharp hyaenas" (from Ancient Greek ὀξύς- (oxús-) 'sharp', name of hyena genus Hyaena and taxonomic suffix "-inae"). [3]

Classification and phylogeny

Taxonomy

Related Research Articles

<i>Sarkastodon</i> Oxyaenid genus from upper Eocene Epoch

Sarkastodon is an extinct genus of placental mammals from extinct subfamily Oxyaeninae within extinct family Oxyaenidae, that lived in Asia during the middle Eocene. It was a genus of large, carnivorous animals known only from a skull and jawbones. Sarkastodon was probably a hypercarnivore that preyed on large mammals in its range during the Middle Eocene, such as brontotheres, chalicotheres, and rhinoceroses. Its weight is estimated at 800 kg (1,800 lb), and its length at 3 m (10 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creodonta</span> Former order of extinct flesh-eating placental mammals

Creodonta is a former order of extinct carnivorous placental mammals that lived from the early Paleocene to the late Miocene epochs in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Originally thought to be a single group of animals ancestral to the modern Carnivora, this order is now usually considered a polyphyletic assemblage of two different groups, the Oxyaenids and the Hyenodonts, not a natural group. Oxyaenids are first known from the Palaeocene of North America, while hyaenodonts hail from the Palaeocene of Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxyaenidae</span> Extinct family of mammals

Oxyaenidae is a family of extinct carnivorous placental mammals. Traditionally classified in order Creodonta, this group is now classified in its own order Oxyaenodonta 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.

<i>Oxyaena</i> Extinct genus of carnivores

Oxyaena is an extinct genus of placental mammals from extinct subfamily Oxyaeninae within extinct family Oxyaenidae, that lived in Europe, Asia and North America during the early Eocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnivoramorpha</span> Clade of carnivores

Carnivoramorpha is a clade of placental mammals of clade Pan-Carnivora from mirorder Ferae, that includes the modern order Carnivora and its extinct stem-relatives.

<i>Machaeroides</i> Extinct genus of carnivores

Machaeroides ("dagger-like") is an extinct genus of sabre-toothed predatory placental mammals from extinct subfamily Machaeroidinae within extinct family Oxyaenidae, that lived in North America (Wyoming) from the early to middle Eocene.

<i>Patriofelis</i> Extinct genus of carnivores

Patriofelis is an extinct genus of large, cat-like predatory placental mammals from extinct subfamily Oxyaeninae within extinct family Oxyaenidae, that lived in North America from the early to middle Eocene. It was around 1.2 to 1.8 metres long, not including the tail, and weighed about 40–90 kg, making it around the same size as a modern cougar. It had short legs with broad feet, suggesting that it may have been a poor runner, but a quite good swimmer. As its close relative Oxyaena was a reasonably good climber, it is possible Patriofelis could climb as well. It is found in particular in the Bridger Basin of southwestern Wyoming and at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon, both in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tillodontia</span> Extinct suborder of mammals

Tillodontia is an extinct suborder of eutherian mammals known from the Early Paleocene to Late Eocene of China, the Late Paleocene to Middle Eocene of North America where they display their maximum species diversity, the Middle Eocene of Pakistan, and the Early Eocene of Europe. Leaving no descendants, they are most closely related to the pantodonts, another extinct group. The tillodonts were medium- to large-sized animals that probably feed on roots and tubers in temperate to subtropical habitats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phenacodontidae</span> Family of mammals

Phenacodontidae is an extinct family of large herbivorous mammals traditionally placed in the “wastebasket taxon” Condylarthra, which may instead represent early-stage perissodactyls. They lived in the Paleocene and Eocene epochs and their fossil remains have been found in North America and Europe.

<i>Palaeonictis</i> Extinct family of mammals

Palaeonictis is an extinct genus of placental mammals from extinct subfamily Palaeonictinae within extinct family Oxyaenidae, that lived in Europe and North America from the late Paleocene to the early Eocene.

<i>Galecyon</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Galecyon ("polecat-dog") is an extinct genus of placental mammals from extinct order Hyaenodonta, that lived in Europe and North America during the early Eocene.

<i>Pyrocyon</i> Extinct genus of dog-like animals

Pyrocyon is an extinct genus of small carnivorous placental mammals from extinct order Hyaenodonta, that lived in North America during the early Eocene. Fossils of Pyrocyon have been found in Wyoming and Colorado. Weight of Pyrocyon dioctetus has been estimated at around 2.6 kilograms.

<i>Prolimnocyon</i> Extinct family of mammals

Prolimnocyon is an extinct paraphyletic genus of limnocyonid hyaenodonts that lived in Asia and North America during the late Paleocene to middle Eocene. Prolimnocyon chowi is the earliest known member of the hyaenodontid family Limnocyonidae.

<i>Tytthaena</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Tytthaena is an extinct genus of placental mammals from extinct subfamily Tytthaeninae within extinct family Oxyaenidae, that lived in North America from the late Paleocene to early Eocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnivoraformes</span> Clade of placental mammals

Carnivoraformes is a clade of placental mammals that includes the modern order Carnivora and its extinct stem-relatives.

<i>Protictis</i> Extinct genus of carnivores

Protictis is an extinct paraphyletic genus of placental mammals from extinct subfamily Didymictinae within extinct family Viverravidae, that lived in North America from early Paleocene to middle Eocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limnocyonidae</span> Extinct family of mammals

Limnocyonidae is a family of extinct predatory mammals from extinct order Hyaenodonta. Fossil remains of these mammals are known from late Paleocene to late Eocene deposits in North America and Asia. Limnocyonids had only two molars in the upper and lower dentition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sinopidae</span> Extinct family of mammals

Sinopidae is an extinct family of predatory placental mammals from extinct order Hyaenodonta. Fossil remains of these mammals are known from early to middle Eocene deposits in North America, Europe and Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palaeonictinae</span> Extinct subfamily of mammals

Palaeonictinae is an extinct subfamily of placental mammals from extinct family Oxyaenidae, that lived from the late Paleocene to early Eocene of Europe and North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metacheiromyidae</span> Extinct family of mammals

Metacheiromyidae is an extinct paraphyletic family of myrmecophagous placental mammals within extinct order Palaeanodonta, that lived in North America and Europe from the late Paleocene to middle Eocene.

References

  1. Gunnel, Gregg F.; Gingerich, Philip D. (1991-09-30). "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. The University of Michigan. 28 (7): 141–180.
  2. Malcolm C. McKenna, Susan K. Bell: Classification of Mammals: Above the Species Level in Columbia University Press, New York (1997), 631 Seiten. Oxyaeninae
  3. Dixon, Dougal (2008). World Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures. Lorenz Books. ISBN   978-0-7548-1730-7.
  4. Stucky, R. K.; Hardy, T. G. (2007). "A new large hypercarnivorous oxyaenid (Mammalia, Creodonta) from the Middle Eocene of the Wind River Formation, Natrona County, Wyoming" (PDF). Bulletin of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 39: 57–65. doi:10.2992/0145-9058(2007)39[57:anlhom]2.0.co;2. S2CID   130956705.