| Cynodictis Temporal range: Early Eocene–Early Oligocene |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Amphicyonidae[1] |
| Subfamily: | †Arctoidea |
| Genus: | Cynodictis Bravard and Pomel (1850) |
| Species | |
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C. elegans |
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Cynodictis, ("in-between dog") is a member of extinct terrestrial carnivores belonging to the family Amphicyonidae, suborder Caniformia, and which inhabited Euroasia and Asia from the Late Eocene subepoch to the Early Oligocene subepoch living from 37.2—28.4 Ma, existing for approximately 8.8 million years.[2]
Cynodictis was one of the oldest amphicyonids, and was not ancestor of the canids, as it was believed some decades ago.
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Cynodictis had a long muzzle and a low-slung body. It had carnassial scissor teeth for slicing chunks of meat off carcasses. It lived on the grassy plains of North America, but researchers think it may have climbed trees in search of prey. It was about 30 cm at the shoulder - a small, carnivorous, dog-like mammal that could run very fast and dig efficiently. It used its speed to chase down rabbits and small rodents, but may also have been able to dig them out of their burrows. Cynodictis lived on open, semi-arid plains that were crisscrossed by rivers.
Using its digging skills, Cynodictis would make itself dens in steep riverbanks, which it would line with mouted fur and vegetation. In here the female Cynodictis would give birth to a litter of around five pups, which she would feed and protect for several months, suckling them at first, then later bringing them food. Unfortunately, the dens would sometimes be destroyed by flash floods that killed all the animals inside, but preserved them as fossils.
Fossil specimens have been found from Mengjiapo, China to the Isle of Wight, Great Britain as well as Weisserburg, Germany and 3 sites in France.
C. elegans
Afrocyon, Amphicyanis, Arctamphicyon, Brachycyon, Drassonax, Goupilictis, Guangxicyon, Haplocyon, Haplocyonoides, Haplocyonopsis, Harpagophagus, Ictiocyon, Pachycynodon, Paradaphoenus, Protemnocyon, Pseudarctos, Pseudamphicyon, Pseudocyonopsis, Sarcocyon, Symplectocyon, Vishnucyon.
Cyondictis is depicted in two episodes of the series Walking with Beasts. In the first episode, New Dawn, the creature was shown very briefly and attacked by the prehistoric whale Ambulocetus. Cyondictis were more prominent in the third episode Land of Giants, where they were identified as "bear-dogs". One "bear-dog" drives away a young Indricothere from her litter of pups.
Haines, Tim, and Paul Chambers. The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life. Pg. 176. Canada: Firefly Books Ltd., 2006.