| Ectopocynus Temporal range: Early Oligocene–Early Miocene |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Subfamily: | †Hesperocyoninae |
| Genus: | †Ectopocynus Wang, 1994 |
| Type species | |
| †Ectopocynus simplicidens |
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| Species | |
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Ectopocynus ("strange dog") is an extinct genus of small bone crushing carnivorous mammal similar to a dog of the family Canidae) which inhabited North America during the Oligocene living from 33.3—16.0 Ma and existed for approximately 17.3 million years. [1]
Though a carnivore, dentition suggests this animal was a hypercarnivore or mesocarnivore.[2][3]
Ectopocynus was named by Wang (1994). Its type is Ectopocynus simplicidens. It was assigned to Canidae by Wang (1994) and Munthe (1998).[4]
Two specimens were examined by Legendre and Roth for body mass. The first specimen was estimated to weigh 16.5 kg (36 lb). The second specimen was estimated to weigh 15.2 kg (34 lb).[5]
Ectopocynus is best described as having simple, robust, and blunt yet massive premolars and reduced or lost cusp on lower molars. In this respect, Ectopocynus has many of the characteristics of Enhydrocyon. Remains of Ectopocynus are limited to mandibles and teeth only.
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