Hoplophoneus

Taxobox
name = "Hoplophoneus"
status = fossil
fossil_range = Early Eocene - Late Oligocene

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Hoplophoneus" skeleton
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Carnivora
familia = Nimravidae
genus = "Hoplophoneus"
genus_authority = Cope, 1874
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "H. dakotensis"
* "H. kurteni"
* "H. mentalis"
* "H. occidentalis"
* "H. primaevus"
* "H. sicarius"

"Hoplophoneus" is an extinct genus of mammal that is often referred to as a Saber-toothed cat. Actually they are false saber-toothed cats belonging to the family Nimravidae, which originated roughly 55 million years ago. "Hoplophoneus" was similar to cats in outward appearance but the Nimravidae were not true cats. Bone structure was different in the small bones of the inner ear. True cats housed an external structure called an auditory bulla separated by a septum with two chambers. Nimravid remains showed no trace of this auditory bulla. Nimravidae had partially cartilaginous bulla and the presence of an ossified bulla with no septum. They also had a flange on the front of the mandible that projected downward as long as the canine tooth.

"Hoplophoneus" was structured like the true cat "Smilodon" including the saber-like teeth but was about the size of a small leopard. It had a robust body with shorter legs.

Sources

* [http://www.bluelion.org/hoplophoneus.htm Hoplophoneus at Blue Lion]
* [http://www.lioncrusher.com/nimravidae.asp Lioncrusher's Domain - Family Nimravidae]