Daphoenictis

Name: Daphoenictis ‭(‬Daphoenus cat‭)‬.
Phonetic: Da-foe-nik-tis.
Named By: R.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Hunt,‭ ‬Jr‭ ‬-‭ ‬1974.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Carnivora,‭ ‬Caniformia,‭ ‬Amphicyonidae,‭ ‬Daphoeninae.
Species: D.‭ ‬tedfordi‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Unavailable.
Known locations: Canada,‭ ‬USA.
Time period: Priabonian of the Eocene to Rupelian of the Oligocene.
Fossil representation: Multiple specimens.

       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 a similar geographical distribution to a species of Daphoenus called Daphoenus lambei.‭ ‬Both Daphoenictis tedfordi and Daphoenus lambei are known from deposits in central southern Canada,‭ ‬spreading all the way down the central United States to Texas.‭ ‬Daphoenictis tedfordi however is dated from the late Eocene whereas Daphoenus lambei is generally known from much earlier in the Eocene.‭ ‬The only fossil deposit which suggests that both Daphoenictis tedfordi and Daphoenus lambei were active at the same time is in Wyoming‭ (‬Priabonian/Chadronian‭)‬.‭ ‬Either this represents a cross over point of Daphoenictis tedfordi taking over from Daphoenus lambei,‭ ‬or is merely circumstantial with future fossil discoveries providing a more complete picture.

Further reading
- Daphoenictis, a cat-like carnivore (Mammalia, Amphicyonidae) from the Oligocene of North America. - Journal of Paleontology 48(5):1030-1047. - R. M. Hunt Jr. 1974.



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