Quercylurus

Quercylurus Temporal range: Early to Late Oligocene (Rupelian to Chattian) 28.8–27.2  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	† Nimravidae
Subfamily:	† Nimravinae
Genus:	† Quercylurus
Species:	†Q. major
Binomial name
†Quercylurus major Ginsburg 1979

Quercylurus is an extinct nimravid carnivora (or "false sabre-toothed cat") from the Early to Late Oligocene of France and Spain. Its fossils were found in Early Oligocene strata in Quercy. It is known with only one species Quercylurus major. Q. major was possibly the largest nimravid ever known, as its fossils suggest it was similar in size to the modern-day lion. ^[1]

Currently there is only one described species within this genus, the type species, Q. major. Q. major lived in the moist and humid forests of Oligocene Europe, alongside the much smaller, fellow nimravid Eofelis .

Taxonomy

Quercylurus was named by Ginsburg (1979), and initially assigned to Felidae by Carroll in 1988. ^[2] It would be placed as a member of Nimravidae, within the subfamily Nimravinae. Quercylurus was at one point classified as Nimravus intermedius major, and then classed within the Dinailurictis genus. More recent research typically places Quercylurus, Dinailurictis, and Eofelis as closely related, but distinct genera representing a European clade of nimravids. ^{[3] [1]} Quercylurus and Dinailurictis in particular share many similarities, with size being the chief distinguishing factor in some research. ^[4]

Description

Quercylurus is often considered the largest definitive nimravids known, with remains indicating individuals roughly comparable to modern lions with mass estimates around 200 kg (440 lb). ^[5] Only the larger members of Barbourofelidae, which more recent studies have considered nimravids, grew larger. ^[6] Quercylurus somewhat resembled actual felines, with an elongated back and shortened snout, whilst having plantigrade limbs. ^[7] The robust premolars suggests it may have included some bone in its diet. ^[5]

References

1. Peigne, Stephane (May 2003). "Systematic review of European Nimravinae (Mammalia, Carnivora, Nimravidae) and the phylogenetic relationships of Palaeogene Nimravidae" . Zoologica Scripta. 32 (3): 199–229. doi:10.1046/j.1463-6409.2003.00116.x. S2CID   86827900.
2. R. L. Carroll (1988). Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W. H. Freeman and Company, New York. pp. 1–698.
3. Barrett, Paul Z. (9 February 2016). "Taxonomic and systematic revisions to the North American Nimravidae (Mammalia, Carnivora)". PeerJ. 4: e1658. doi: 10.7717/peerj.1658 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   4756750 . PMID   26893959.
4. de Bonis, Louis; Gardin, Axelle; Blondel, Cécile (10 September 2019). "Carnivora from the early Oligocene of the 'Phosphorites du Quercy' in southwestern France" . Geodiversitas. 41 (15): 601. doi: 10.5252/geodiversitas2019v41a15 . S2CID   202670809.
5. Peigne, Stephane (May 2003). "Systematic review of European Nimravinae (Mammalia, Carnivora, Nimravidae) and the phylogenetic relationships of Palaeogene Nimravidae" . Zoologica Scripta. 32 (3): 199–229. doi:10.1046/j.1463-6409.2003.00116.x. S2CID   86827900.
6. Barrett, Paul Zachary (2021-10-26). "The largest hoplophonine and a complex new hypothesis of nimravid evolution". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 21078. Bibcode:2021NatSR..1121078B. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-00521-1. ISSN   2045-2322. PMC   8548586 . PMID   34702935.
7. Jordi Agusti and Mauricio Anton: Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids 65 million years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe, Columbia University Press, 2002, pp.81-83