Chasmaporthetes

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Chasmaporthetes
Parts of the jaw of Chasmaporthetes

Parts of the jaw of Chasmaporthetes

Temporal occurrence
Upper Miocene to Lower Pleistocene
Locations
Systematics
Laurasiatheria
Predators (Carnivora)
Feline (Feliformia)
Hyenas (Hyaenidae)
Actual hyenas (Hyaeninae)
Chasmaporthetes
Scientific name
Chasmaporthetes
Hay , 1921

Chasmaporthetes is an extinct species of hyenas (Hyaenidae), the time from Miozän to the early Pleistozän ranges. In Europe it was originally described under the name Euryboas . The genus is known from Europe, Asia, Africa and North America, and was also found on Beringia , the land bridge that connected eastern Siberia and Alaska during the Ice Age, making it one of the most widespread hyenas ever.

Chasmaportetes probably developed in the late Miocene of Eurasia . In the Pliocene , Chasmaporthetes was the only hyena to reach the North American continent, where the genus survived until the early Pleistocene. In the Old World , the genus also existed until the early Pleistocene. The species C. lunensis reached a shoulder height of about 80 cm. C. australis was slightly larger at about 88 cm shoulder height.

In contrast to many of today's hyenas, whose strong molars are suitable for breaking bones, Chasmaportetes had relatively weak but sharp fangs , comparable to those of cats. The genus was also much slimmer and should have been a fast hunter with its walking legs .

swell

  • Jordi Augusti, Mauricio Antón: Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids. 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe. Columbia University Press, New York NY et al. 2002, ISBN 0-231-11640-3 .
  • Werdelin Kurten: A Review of the genus “Chasmaporthetes” Hay, 1921 (Carnivora, Hyaenidae). In: Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology. 8, 1, 1988, ISSN  1567-2158 , pp. 46-66.
  • Malcolm C. McKenna, Susan K. Bell: Classification of Mammals above the Species Level. Columbia University Press, New York NY et al. 1997, ISBN 0-231-11013-8 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Z. Jack Tseng, Grant Zazula and Lars Werdelin. 2019. First Fossils of Hyenas ( Chasmaporthetes , Hyaenidae, Carnivora) from North of the Arctic Circle. Open Quaternary. 5 (1) DOI: 10.5334 / oq.64

Web links