- Oxetocyon
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Oxetocyon
Temporal range: Early Oligocene–Late OligoceneScientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae Subfamily: †Borophaginae Genus: †Oxetocyon
Green, 1954Species: †O. cuspidatus Binomial name †Oxetocyon cuspidatus
Green, 1954
Range of Oxetocyon based on fossil distribution Oxetocyon ("beginning dog") is an extinct genus of the subfamily Borophaginae and a terrestrial canine which inhabited North America during the Whitneyan stage (33.3 Mya)—(30.8 Mya) of the Oligocene epoch.[1] Oxetocyon existed for approximately 2.5 million years.
Contents
Taxonomy
The teeth of Oxetocyon indicate a more hypocarnivorous diet, as is found in the living Raccoon Dog, and suggest a potential relationship to the unusual borophagine Otarocyon. Oxetocyon is distinguished from Otarocyon by its own set of dental specializations for an omnivorous diet, particularly by the presence of a cleft that divides each upper molar into front and back halves.[2]
Morphology
Fossil specimens of two individuals' body mass were examined by Legendre and Roth. The first specimen was estimated to weigh 1.04 kg (2.29 lbs). The second specimen was estimated to weigh 1.1 kg (2.44 lbs).[3][4]
Species
Only a single species, O. cuspidatus, is known. Fossils of Oxetocyon are rare and, as a result, the genus is poorly known, and only the teeth, dentaries, and a fragmentary skull have been reported.
Sister genera
Archaeocyon, Otarocyon, and Rhizocyon.
Fossil distribution
- Roundhouse Rock, Brule Formation, Morrill County, Nebraska ~33.3—30.8 Ma.
- UNSM Sx-28, Brule Formation, Sioux County, Nebraska ~33.3—30.8 Ma.
- Brule Formation, Shannon County, South Dakota ~33.3—30.8 Ma.
- Harris Ranch Unit C, Brule Formation, Fall River County, South Dakota ~33.3—30.8 Ma.
References
- ^ PaleoBiology Database: Oxetocyon Taxonomy, Species
- ^ Xiaoming Wang, R.H. Tedford, and B.E. Taylor. 1999. Phylogenetic systematics of the Borophaginae
- ^ S. Legendre and C. Roth. 1988. Correlation of carnassial tooth size and body weight in recent carnivores (Mammalia). Historical Biology
- ^ Paleobiology Database: Oxetocyon (see Morphology)
Extinct members of the family Canidae †Hesperocyoninae Hesperocyon · Mesocyon · Cynodesmus · Sunkahetanka · Philotrox · Enhydrocyon · Paraenhydrocyon · Osbornodon · Caedocyon · EctopocynusBorophaginae Archaeocyon · Borophagina · Borophagini · Oxetocyon · Otarocyon · Rhizocyon · Cynarctoides · Phlaocyon · Cormocyon · Desmocyon · Metatomarctus · Euoplocyon · Psalidocyon · Microtomarctus · Protomarctus · Tephrocyon · Paracynarctus · Cynarctus · Tomarctus · Aelurodon · Paratomarctus · Carpocyon · Protepicyon · Epicyon · BorophagusCaninae
(extinct genera)Chailicyon · Cynotherium · Dusicyon · Eucyon · Gobicyon · Leptocyon · Neocynodesmus · Nurocyon · Prototocyon · Theriodictis · XenocyonCaninae
(extinct species and subspecies)Canis apolloniensis · Canis armbrusteri · Canis cedazoensis · Canis dirus · Canis edwardii · Canis ferox · Canis lepophagus · Canis lupus hattai · Canis lupus hodophilax · Urocyon progressusCategoryThis article related to prehistoric animals from order Carnivora is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
