Paraenhydrocyon

Paraenhydrocyon ("beside Enhydrocyon") is an extinct genus of bone crushing omnivorous early canid which inhabited North America during the Early Miocene, 24.8—20.4 Ma, existing for approximately 5 million years. [1]

Paraenhydrocyon
Temporal range: Early Miocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Subfamily: †Hesperocyoninae
Genus: †Paraenhydrocyon
Wang, 1994
Type species
†Temnocyon wallovianus
Species
  • †P. robustus Cope 1881
  • †P. josephi Matthew 1907
  • †P. wallovianus Cope 1881

The dentition suggests that this animal was a hypercarnivore or mesocarnivore.[2] In addition to its retention of several primitive cranial characters, this includes unique sharp-tipped, slender premolars that clearly contrast with the strong premolars of the Mesocyon–Enhydrocyon group, but also parallels that clade by having a reduced metaconid cusp on the lower molars.

References
  1. http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=41232 Paraenhydrocyon at fossilworks
  2. R. M. Nowak. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World. Maryland, Johns Hopkins University Press (edited volume) II


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