Otarocyon: Difference between revisions
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'''''Otarocyon''''' ("large eared dog") is an extinct genus of the ''[[Borophaginae]]'' and a [[terrestrial]] [[canine]] which inhabited most of [[North America]] during the [[Orellan]] stage (33.9 [[Mya (unit)|Mya]]) through [[Geringian]] stage (26.3 Mya) of the [[Oligocene]] epoch.<ref>[http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=41227&is_real_user=1 PaleoBiology Database: ''Otarocyon'' Taxonomy, Species]</ref> |
'''''Otarocyon''''' ("large eared dog") is an extinct genus of the ''[[Borophaginae]]'' and a [[Terrestrial animal|terrestrial]] [[canine]] which inhabited most of [[North America]] during the [[Orellan]] stage (33.9 [[Mya (unit)|Mya]]) through [[Geringian]] stage (26.3 Mya) of the [[Oligocene]] epoch.<ref>[http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=41227&is_real_user=1 PaleoBiology Database: ''Otarocyon'' Taxonomy, Species]</ref> |
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==Taxonomy== |
==Taxonomy== |
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''Otarocyon'' was a small borophagine characterized by a short, broad [[skull]], a specialized [[middle ear]], simple, tall [[premolar]] teeth, and [[molar]]s that are incipiently adapted to an [[omnivorous]] diet. Despite its Oligocene age, the skull of ''Otarocyon'' shows several striking similarities to the living [[Fennec Fox]] (''Vulpes zerda''), particularly in the structure of its middle ear. The similarities are probably [[Convergent evolution|convergent]], but they suggest that ''Otarocyon'' may have been similar in its appearance and habits.<ref>[http://www.nhm.org/expeditions/rrc/wang/documents/Wangetal1999borophaginemonographpart1.pdf Phylogenetic systematics of the Borophaginae (Carnivora, Canidae)]</ref> |
''Otarocyon'' was a small borophagine characterized by a short, broad [[skull]], a specialized [[middle ear]], simple, tall [[premolar]] teeth, and [[molar]]s that are incipiently adapted to an [[omnivorous]] diet. Despite its Oligocene age, the skull of ''Otarocyon'' shows several striking similarities to the living [[Fennec Fox]] (''Vulpes zerda''), particularly in the structure of its middle ear. The similarities are probably [[Convergent evolution|convergent]], but they suggest that ''Otarocyon'' may have been similar in its appearance and habits.<ref>[http://www.nhm.org/expeditions/rrc/wang/documents/Wangetal1999borophaginemonographpart1.pdf Phylogenetic systematics of the Borophaginae (Carnivora, Canidae)]</ref> |
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Revision as of 09:22, 25 July 2009
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| Genus: | †Otarocyon Wang, Tedford, & Taylor, 1999
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| †Cynodesmus cooki | |
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Otarocyon ("large eared dog") is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae and a terrestrial canine which inhabited most of North America during the Orellan stage (33.9 Mya) through Geringian stage (26.3 Mya) of the Oligocene epoch.[1]
Taxonomy
Otarocyon was a small borophagine characterized by a short, broad skull, a specialized middle ear, simple, tall premolar teeth, and molars that are incipiently adapted to an omnivorous diet. Despite its Oligocene age, the skull of Otarocyon shows several striking similarities to the living Fennec Fox (Vulpes zerda), particularly in the structure of its middle ear. The similarities are probably convergent, but they suggest that Otarocyon may have been similar in its appearance and habits.[2]
Species
Two species of Otarocyon are known, O. macdonaldi from the early Oligocene (2 mya: Orellan NALMA), and O. cooki from the late Oligocene (6 mya: Arikareean NALMA). In addition to its earlier age, O. macdonaldi differs from O. cooki in being smaller and in showing lesser development of the specializations that characterize the genus. O. macdonaldi is also the earliest known member of the subfamily Borophaginae, although the later appearing Archaeocyon was more primitive.
Sister genera
Archaeocyon, Oxetocyon, Rhizocyon
Fossil distribution
Fossils of Otarocyon have been collected from the Oligocene of South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming.