In Depth One of the daphoenine bear dogs that are so far exclusive to North America, Daphoenictis was similar to the type genus of this group Daphoenus. Although definitely a bear dog, Daphoenictis fossils bear a resemblance to cats, something leading to the name Daphoenictis which translates as ‘Daphoenus cat’. Daphoenictis seems to have shared … Read more
In Depth In popular culture Amphicyon is possibly the best known genera of the group known as ‘bear dogs’. This group was so named because of the immensely robust build of the body that gave them the appearance of bears even though the heads were more dog-like. Despite this more general name, Amphicyon was not … Read more
In Depth As a nimravid, Dinictis looked and hunted like a cat, yet it hunted across North America during a much earlier period before the emergence of true cats, hence the reason why the label of ‘false sabre-toothed cat’ is often applied to Dinictis as well as the other nimravids. One key difference is the … Read more
In Depth Further Reading – Pleistocene remains of the lion-like cat (Panthera atrox) from the Yukon Territory and northern Alaska – Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 6(5) C. R. Harrington – 1969. – Mandibular and dental abnormalities of two Pleistocene American lions (Panthera leo atrox) from Yukon Territory. – B. F. Beebe & T. J. … Read more
In Depth The hyenas had their origin in ancient genera such as Ictitherium, but by the Miocene exceptionally large forms such as Percrocuta had already evolved into a more recognisably hyena form. Percrocuta possessed robust skull and jaws with attachment points that would have allowed for a powerful bite. The rear teeth of Percrocuta however … Read more
In Depth A little known nimravid, Pogonodon seems to have had a wide distribution from the USA to the Ukraine as well as existing for around twenty-three and half million years. This suggests that Pogonodon would have been one of the most successful genera of nimravid so far known. Further Reading Further reading- Scientific news. … Read more
In Depth Further Reading – Temporal variation in tooth fracture among Rancho La Brea dire wolves. – Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22 (2): 423. – W. J. Binder, E. N. Thompson & B. Van Valkenburgh – 2002. – Sexual dimorphism, social behavior, and intrasexual competition in large Pleistocene carnivorans. – Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22: … Read more
In Depth Megantereon has a popular standing within the realm of big cat palaeontology as it is thought by many to be the ancestor to the considerably more famous Smilodon (often incorrectly dubbed the Sabre-toothed tiger). Megantereon itself is often referred to as a dirk toothed cat because while the upper canines are enlarged, they … Read more
In Depth Further Reading – Pleistocene remains of the lion-like cat (Panthera atrox) from the Yukon Territory and northern Alaska – Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 6(5) C. R. Harrington – 1969. – Mandibular and dental abnormalities of two Pleistocene American lions (Panthera leo atrox) from Yukon Territory. – B. F. Beebe & T. J. … Read more
In Depth Although Afrosmilus superficially looks like an African big cat, it is actually a barbourfelid, a group of mammals that appeared before the big cats of the Felidae. However exactly how close barbourofelids are to true cats is actually a matter of debate amongst palaeontologists with some claiming that they are not related at … Read more