Borophagina

Borophagina
Temporal range: Middle Miocene–Pliocene
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Subfamily: Borophaginae
Genus: (tribe) †Borophagina
X. Wang, 1999

Borophagina is a hypocarnivorous subfamily or clade of Borophaginae, a group of terrestrial canines which inhabited most of North America during the Hemingfordian stage of the Early Miocene subepoch to the Zanclean stage of the Pliocene epoch 20.6—3.6 Mya existing approximately 17 million years.[1]

Taxonomy

Borophagina, like other Borophaginae, were a short-faced, heavy-jawed canine usually massive in size. They were primarily carnivores but dentition demonstrates omnivore traits. These animals were actively mobile. Reproduction was viviparous[2] [3]

Clade

Members of this clade are Paratomarctus Carpocyon, Protepicyon, Epicyon, and Borophagus.

Subtaxa and sister taxa

Subtaxa are: Borophagus; (syn. Hyaenognathus, Osteoborus, Pliogulo, Porthocyon), Carpocyon, Epicyon, Paratomarctus, and Protepicyon. Sister taxa are: Aelurodontina and Cynarctina.

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