Dissopsalis

Dissopsalis
Dissopsalis
Temporal range: Middle Miocene–Late Miocene
Dissopsalis carnifex skull restoration, specimen AM19401
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Creodonta
Family: Hyaenodontidae
Genus: Dissopsalis
Pilgrim, 1910
Type species
Dissopsalis carnifex
Species
  • D. carnifex
  • D. pyroclasticus

Dissopsalis is a genus of extinct predatory mammals of the order Creodonta. The older species, D. pyroclasticus, lived in Kenya during the middle Miocene, while the type species, D. carnifex, ranged from, Pakistan, India to China during the middle to late Miocene (Barry, 1988).

Dissopsalis is the last known creodont genus. It lived alongside its relative Hyaenodon weilini, a member of the very successful genus Hyaenodon, during the Miocene in China, and survived to the end of the Miocene, whereas H. weilini did not.

Species

  • Genus Dissopsalis
    • Dissopsalis carnifex
    • Dissopsalis pyroclasticus

References

  • Barry, J. C. (1988): Dissopsalis, a middle and late Miocene proviverrine creodont (Mammalia) from Pakistan and Kenya. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 48(1): 25-45.
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