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 to stretch from the West to East coast of Southern half of the United states as well as all the way up to the Canadian border of the central United States. Also because of the close proximity to the main distribution, Temnocyon likely roamed across Northern Mexico as well.
Temnocyon acquired its name from the cutting teeth in its jaws that would have been well suited for rending flesh. From its small size it’s possible that it would have hunted anything from small mammals like rodents to primitive horses of the time such as Anchitherium. The main predatory competition for Temnocyon would not just come from other bear dogs but also from nimravids such as Eusmilus and Nimravus, as well as the larger creodont predators such as Hyaenodon. Additional threats could also come from entelodonts such as Archaeotherium that were powerful enough to be serious threat to smaller bear dogs.
As the type genus of the Temnocyoninae, Temnocyon is related to other members of this sub group of bear dogs such as Mammacyon. One former species of Temnocyon called T. wallovianus was used to establish the genus Paraenhydrocyon.
Further Reading
– On some of the characters of the Miocene fauna of Oregon. – Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 18(102):63-78. – E. D. Cope – 1878. – Three new Miocene dogs and their phylogeny. – Journal of Paleontology 10(1):44-52. – F. B. Loomis – 1936. – Evolution of Large Carnivores During the Mid-Cenozoic of North America: The Temnocyonine Radiation (Mammalia, Amphicyonidae). – Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 358:1-153. – R. M. Hunt Jr. – 2011.
