Patriofelis
| Patriofelis | ||||||||||||
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Reconstruction of Patriofelis |
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| Temporal occurrence | ||||||||||||
| middle Eocene | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Patriofelis | ||||||||||||
| Leidy , 1870 | ||||||||||||
Patriofelis is an extinct genus of the order Oxyaenodonta thatlivedin North America about 45 million years ago in the mid Eocene . The genus got its name in 1870 from the American paleontologist Joseph Leidy .
morphology
Patriofelis was about the size of today's jaguar , with short legs and a long tail. He had very broad paws, which suggests that Patriofelis did not run particularly fast, but could swim better. Without taking the tail into account, it was between four and sixty feet and sixty-eight feet long and heavy. Its size was a maximum of 70 centimeters.
Way of life
It can be assumed that, like today's jaguars, he often hunted in the water. He probably ambushed his prey, since his lack of speed would have had little chance of success in a chase. Thus, Patriofelis differs significantly from its predecessor Oxyaena , who preferred to hunt in trees. Patriofelis' potential prey may have been smaller mammals as well as small prehistoric horses that he ambushed while they drank. It is also assumed that Patriofelis had a jaw that was strong enough to crack turtle shells without any problems.
Locations
Known localities of Patriofelis are the southwestern Wyoming and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in the state of Oregon .
literature
Christine M. Janis, Kathleen M. Scott, Louis L. Jacobs: Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America
Web links
- Patriofelis - prehistoric fauna (English)