Protictitherium

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Protictitherium
Temporal occurrence
Lower to Upper Miocene ( Burdigalium to Turolium )
18 to 8.2 million years
Locations
Systematics
Laurasiatheria
Predators (Carnivora)
Feline (Feliformia)
Hyenas (Hyaenidae)
Ictitheriinae
Protictitherium
Scientific name
Protictitherium
Kretzoi , 1938

Protictitherium was one of the genetically oldest genera of the hyenas and livedin Eurasia and Africa during the Miocene 18 to 8, possibly up to 7 million years ago. It can be classified in the subfamily Ictitheriinae , which no more recent representatives belong to.

The genus is considered to be one of the earliest within the hyena family, but is paraphyletic . Protictitherium had a physique that resembled that of today's civet cats in shape and size, and possibly lived partly as a climber on trees. It is likely that the animals mainly fed on insects or were omnivorous .

The species Protictitherium punicum , known among other things from layers 12 million years old from the Bled Dorah formation in Tunisia , was one of the first hyena representatives to migrate from Europe to Africa.

Several types have been described:

  • P. aegaeum Kaya, Geraads & Tuna , 2005
  • P. cingulatum Schmidt-Kittler , 1976
  • P. crassum Deperet , 1892
  • P. gaillardi Forsyth Major , 1903
  • P. intermedium Schmidt-Kittler , 1976
  • P. praecurrens Dehm , 1950
  • P. punicum

literature

  • Alan Turner, Mauricio Antón: Evolving Eden. An Illustrated Guide to the Evolution of the African Large-Mammal Fauna. Columbia University Press, New York NY 2004, ISBN 0-231-11944-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. a b Tanju Kaya, Denis Geraads and Vahdet Tuna: A new Late Miocene mammalian fauna in the Karaburun Peninsula (W Turkey). New yearbook of geological-paleontological treatises 236 (3), 2005, pp. 321–349.
  2. ^ A b Clara Stefen * and John M. Rensberger: The specialized structure of hyaenid enamel: Description and development within the lineage - including Percrocutids. Scanning Microscopy 13 (2-3), 1999, pp. 363-380.
  3. ^ Stanley H. Ambrose, Mwanzia David Kyule and Leslea J. Hlusko: History of palaeontological research in the Nark District of Kenya. Kirtlandia - The Cleveland Museum of Natural History 56, 2007, pp. 1-37.