Proteles amplidentus

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Proteles amplidentus
Temporal range: Late Pliocene – Early Pleistocene
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Hyaenidae
Genus: Proteles
Species:
†P. amplidentus
Binomial name
†Proteles amplidentus
Werdelin & Solounias, 1991
Synonyms

Proteles transvaalensisHendey, 1974

Proteles amplidentus is an extinct species of prehistoric hyena closely related to the living aardwolf. It lived during the Plio-Pleistocene in South Africa, where fossils have been found in the Swartkrans dated to as recently as 1.5 million years ago. [1] Proteles amplidentus has additionally been found in the Kromdraai fossil site. [2]

Contents

Characteristics

Proteles amplidentus was similar to the modern aardwolf in most respects but had less reduced cheek teeth. [3] The former species was larger and had larger canine teeth. It had a smaller third premolar than the aardwolf and its second and third premolars were positioned more anteriorly. [2]

Etymology and naming

Proteles amplidentus was initially named Proteles transvaalensis by Hendey (1974), [4] but Proteles cristatus transvaalensis (Roberts, 1932) [5] had already been used to describe a subspecies of aardwolf. Proteles amplidentus was proposed by Werdelin & Solounias (1991) in reference to the larger dentition of this species in comparison to the extant aardwolf. [2]

References

  1. ↑ Kingdon, Jonathan (2014). Mammals of Africa: Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 282. ISBN   9781408189948.
  2. 1 2 3 Werdelin, Lars; Solounias, Nikos. (1991-05-31). "The Hyaenidae: taxonomy, systematics and evolution" Fossils and strata. 30: 42. ISSN 0300-9491. ISBN   82-00-37481-5.
  3. ↑ Paleontology and Geology of Laetoli: Human Evolution in Context Volume 2: Fossil Hominins and the Associated Fauna. Springer Netherlands. 2011. p. 220. ISBN   9789048199624.
  4. ↑ Hendey, Q. B. (1974-07-31). "New fossil carnivores from the Swartkrans australopithecine site" Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 29 (3): 35-38. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA00411752_211
  5. ↑ Roberts, Austin. (1932-10-01). "Preliminary description of fifty-seven new forms of South African mammals" Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 15 (1): 6. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA00411752_616


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