In Depth Ouranopithecus is often considered to be a dryopithecine ape (similar to Dryopithecus); however there are others who consider Ouranopithecus to be a member of the Ponginae (orangutan-like apes). Usually however Ouranopithecus is placed within the Hominidae due to the shape and form of the sinuses, although it may also be a late surviving … Read more
In Depth With is slender body, proportionately short legs and teeth suited more for an insectivorous diet, Ictitherium was more like a civet. However this predator was actually one of the first hyenas even though it still had a long way to go to developing the immense bone crushing bite of modern hyenas. Ictitherium is … Read more
In Depth Canaanimys is one of the earliest known occurrences of the Caviomorpha, a group of rodent mammals that is best known today for including chinchillas and guinea pigs. Another genus from the same formation and named in the same year as Canaanimys is Cachiyacuy. Further Reading - Middle Eocene rodents from Peruvian Amazonia reveal … Read more
In Depth Further Reading – Origin and Function of ‘Bizarre’ Structures – Antler Size and Skull Size in ‘Irish Elk’, Megaloceros giganteus. – Evolution 28(2): 191-220.Stephen J. Gould – 1974. – Notes on Megaloceros luochuanensis (sp. nov.) from Hei-Mugou, Luochuan, Shaanxi province. – Vertebrata PalAsiatica (Gujizhui dongwu yu gurenlei) 20(3):228-235 – X. Xue – 1982. … Read more
In Depth Ischyrocyon appears to have been around mid-sized for one of the North American bear dogs being much bigger than some genera such as Temnocyon and Cynelos, but still much smaller than giants like Amphicyon. The type species name I. hyaenodus means ‘hyaena tooth’, a reference to the similarity of the teeth of Ischyrocyon … Read more
In Depth Gaviacetus is usually interpreted as a protocetid, a very primitive kind of whale that would have still possessed legs for terrestrial locomotion, though in the past Gaviacetus has also been considered to be a possible basilosaurid. However, at the time of writing there is little evidence to conclusively prove that Gaviacetus was a … Read more
In Depth Junggaroperadectes is a genus of peradectid mammal that lived in China during the Oligocene. Further Reading - A new Early Oligocene peradectine marsupial (Mammalia)from the Burqin region of Xinjiang, China. - Naturwissenschaften 94 (3): 237–241. - Xijun Ni, Jin Meng, Wenyu Wu & Jie Ye - 2007.
In Depth Although one of the bear dogs, Temnocyon seems to have been more the size of a small wolf. The first remains of Temnocyon came from the John Day fossil beds of Oregon state which are noted for producing a large number of the currently known temnocyonine fossils. The range of Temnocyon currently seems … Read more
In Depth Originally named as a Miocene species of Dicerorhinus, D. leakeyi was re-described as a distinct genus named Rusingaceros in 2010. Rusingaceros is a Miocene aged rhinoceros, the best fossils of which were found upon Rusinga Island which is situated on Lake Victoria, the largest lake on the African continent. Further Reading - Chapter … Read more
In Depth Onychonycteris existed during the Eocene, and is regarded as one of the most primitive bats known. So primitive is Onychonycteris that the fingers all still have large claws on their ends, and study of the skull and ear bones strongly suggests that Onychonycteris was incapable of using echolocation to find prey. This is … Read more