| Cynodesmus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Subfamily: | †Hesperocyoninae |
| Genus: | †Cynodesmus Scott, 1893 |
| Type species | |
| †Cynodesmus thooides | |
| Species | |
| |
Cynodesmus ("dog link") is an extinct genus ofomnivorous canine which inhabitedNorth America during theOligocene living from 33.3—-26.3Ma and existed for approximately7 million years.[1]
Cynodesmus was one of the firstcanids to truly look dog-like. At around 1 metre (3.3 ft) in length, it was about the same size as a moderncoyote, but had a shorterskull, heavier tail, and longer rump. The shape of its limbs suggests thatCynodesmus was not a very good runner compared to most other canids; it probably attacked prey from an ambush. Unlike modern dogs, it had five toes on each foot, bearing partially retractableclaws.[2]
Cynodesmus once included numerous species ofOligocene andMiocene canid with highly carnivorous (hypercarnivorous)dentitions. A revision of the genus by Wang (1994) indicates that most species previously placed inCynodesmus are unrelated to thetype species,C. thooides. These other species have been placed the generaCarpocyon,Desmocyon,Leptocyon,Metatomarctus,Osbornodon,Otarocyon,Paracynarctus,Paratomarctus, andPhlaocyon (Wang, 1994; Wang et al., 1999). Of these, onlyOsbornodon belongs in the samesubfamily asCynodesmus,Hesperocyoninae. The remaining genera are placed in the subfamiliesBorophaginae andCaninae.
With unrelated species removed,Cynodesmus is currently restricted to the type species and the closely relatedC. martini (Wang, 1994).
Studies using the old conception ofCynodesmus considered it to be the ancestor ofTomarctus (16-23 Ma) from whichwolves,dogs,foxes andfennecs developed.Cynodesmus is a good example ofconvergent evolution because of other species such as theBorophagus, the largest and most dominant canids of thePliocene epoch, both of which evolved from it.[3]
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