Cynarctus

Cynarctus
Temporal range: Middle Miocene–Late Miocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Subfamily: †Borophaginae
Genus: †Cynarctus
Matthew, 1902
Type species
†Cynarctus saxatilis
Species
  • †C. crucidens
  • †C. galushai
  • †?C. marylandica
  • †C. saxatilis
  • †C. voorhiesi

Cynarctus is an extinct canid of the subfamily Borophaginae which inhabited most of North America during the Late Miocene subepoch (15.9—10.3 mya). Cynarctus existed for approximately 5.6 million years.[1]

Contents

Taxonomy

Cynarctus was named by Matthew in 1902. It was assigned to Amphicyoninae by Matthew (1902); to Canidae by Carroll (1988); and to Cynarctina by Wang et al. (1999).[2]

Morphology

Two specimens were examined by Legendre and Roth for body mass. The first specimen was estimated to weigh 5.28 kg (11.28 lbs). The second specimen was estimated to weigh 5.16 kg (11.3 lbs).[3]

Fossil distribution

Fossils have been uncovered in California, Maryland, western Nebraska, and Texas.

References

  1. ^ Paleobiology Database: Cynartus basic info.
  2. ^ W. D. Matthew. 1902. New canidae from the Miocene of Colorado. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History
  3. ^ S. Legendre and C. Roth. 1988. Correlation of carnassial tooth size and body weight in recent carnivores (Mammalia). Historical Biology