Nimravidae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

iNimravids (false sabre-tooths)

Hoplophoneus mentalis

Extinct (fossil)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Nimravidae

Subfamilies

Nimravinae
Hoplophoninae
Barbourofelinae

The Nimravidae, also known as False sabre-tooths, are an extinct family of mammalian carnivores. Although they physically resembled the sabre-toothed cats of genus Smilodon, they were not closely related, but evolved a similar form through parallel evolution. It is not certain whether the family Barbourofelinae truly has its closest affinities with Nimravids.

The ancestors of the Nimravids and cats diverged from their common ancestor in the early Eocene, more than 50 million years ago (mya). Recognizable Nimravid fossils date from the later Eocene (36 mya) to the late Miocene (5 mya). Nimravid diversity appears to have peaked about 28 mya. Most had muscular, low-slung, catlike bodies, with shorter legs and tails than typical of cats. The largest species reached the size of a lion.

[edit] Classification

Family: Nimravidae
- Subfamily Nimravinae
  - Genus: Dinictis
    - Dinictis cyclops
    - Dinictis felina
    - Dinictis priseus
    - Dinictis squalidens
  - Genus: Dinaelurus
    - Dinaelurus crassus
  - Genus: Dinailurictis
    - Dinailurictis bonali
  - Genus: Eofelis
  - Genus: Nimravides
    - Nimravides pedionomus
  - Genus: Nimravus
    - Nimravus altidens
    - Nimravus brachyops
    - Nimravus edwardsi
    - Nimravus gomphodus
    - Nimravus intermedius
    - Nimravus sectator
  - Genus: Pogonodon
    - Pogonodon davisi
    - Pogonodon platycopis
  - Genus: Quercylurus
    - Quercylurus major
- Subfamily Hoplophoninae
  - Genus: Eusmilis
    - Eusmilis bidentatus
    - Eusmilis cerebralis
    - Eusmilis sicarius
  - Genus: Hoplophoneus
    
    The skull of Hoplophoneus mentalis, showing the sabre-like teeth
    - Hoplophoneus belli
    - Hoplophoneus dakotensis
    - Hoplophoneus occidentalis
    - Hoplophoneus latidens
    - Hoplophoneus mentalis
    - Hoplophoneus primaevus
    - Hoplophoneus robustus
- Subfamily Barbourofelinae
  - Genus: Barbourofelis
    - Barbourofelis fricki
    - Barbourofelis loveorum
    - Barbourofelis morrisi
    - Barbourofelis osborni
    - Barbourofelis piveteaui
    - Barbourofelis vallensiensis
    - Barbourofelis whitfordi
  - Genus: Prosansanosmilus
    - Prosansanosmilus eggeri
    - Prosansanosmilus peregrinus
  - Genus: Sansanosmilus
    - Sansanosmilus jourdoni
    - Sansanosmilus palmidens
  - Genus: Vampyrictis
    - Vampyrictis vipera