Adilophontes

A-dil-o-fon-tes
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Liam Carter

Paleoanthropologist

Liam Carter explores the roots of humanity by studying early human fossils and artifacts. His ground-breaking work has provided a deeper understanding of our ancestors' lifestyles and social structures.

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Name

Adilophontes.

Phonetic

A-dil-o-fon-tes

Named By

R. M. Hunt Jr. ‬-‭ ‬2002.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Carnivora,‭ ‬Caniformia,‭ ‬Amphicyonidae,‭ ‬Daphoeninae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

A.‭ ‬brachykolos‭

Size

Weight estimated between‭ ‬68-69‭ ‬kilograms.

Known locations

USA,‭ ‬Wyoming.

Time Period

Chattian of the Oligocene to Aquitanian of the Miocene.

Fossil representation

Remains of three individuals.

In Depth

       At almost seventy kilos,‭ ‬Adilophontes was a large daphoenine bear dog,‭ ‬a group of bear dogs so far only known from North America.‭ ‬This large size meant that it was even larger than the largest species of Hyaenodon in North America,‭ ‬H.‭ ‬horridus,‭ ‬and along with other large forms such as Amphicyon and on-going climate change driving a shift in different prey species,‭ ‬Adilophontes likely contributed to the demise of the creodonts as top mammalian predators.

Further Reading

– New amphicyonid carnivorans (Mammalia, Daphoeninae) from the early Miocene of southeastern Wyoming. – American Museum Novitates 3385:1-41 – R. M. Hunt Jr. – 2002.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT