| Nimravus Temporal range: Early Oligocene–Early Miocene |
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| N. brachyops jaw, University of California Museum of Paleontology | |
| Conservation status | |
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Fossil
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| (unranked): | Feliformia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Nimravidae |
| Genus: | Nimravus Cope, 1879 |
| Species | |
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Nimravus is an extinct genus of the family Nimravidae, subfamily Nimravinae (false saber-toothed cat) endemic to North America during the Oligocene epoch (33.3—26.3 mya), existing for approximately 7 million years.[1]
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Nimravus was named by Cope (1879) [status called into question by Bryant 1996]. It is the type genus of Nimravidae, Nimravinae. It was assigned to Nimravidae by Cope (1879) and Martin (1998); and to Nimravinae by Flynn and Galiano (1982), Bryant (1991) and Hunt (1998).[2][3]
Unrelated to saber-toothed cats, they evolved a similar form through parallel evolution.
Nimravus was around 1.2 metres (4 ft) in body length. With its sleek body, it may have resembled the modern caracal, although it had a longer back and more dog-like feet with partially retractile claws. It probably hunted birds and small mammals, ambushing them like modern cats, rather than chasing them down. Nimravus competed with other false sabre-tooths such as Eusmilus.[4]
A Nimravus skull, found in North America, had been pierced in the forehead region, the hole exactly matching the dimensions of the sabre-like canine of Eusmilus. This particular individual of Nimravus apparently survived this encounter, as the wound showed signs of healing.
A single specimen was examined by M. Mendoza for body mass and was estimated to have a weight of 29.5 kg (65 lbs).[5]
Fossils were uncovered in the western U.S. from Oregon to southern California to Nebraska.
N. brachyops (syn. Archaelurus debilis, Dinictis major, N. altidens, N. bumpensis, N. confertus, N. gomphodus, N. meridianus), N. sectator.