| Osbornodon | |
|---|---|
| Fossil skull cast ofO. iamonensis,Florida Museum of Natural History | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Subfamily: | †Hesperocyoninae |
| Genus: | †Osbornodon Wang, 1994 |
| Type species | |
| †Osbornodon fricki | |
| Species | |
See text | |
| Approximate range ofOsbornodon based on fossil distribution | |
Osbornodon ("Osborn's tooth") is an extinct genus ofcanid that were endemic toNorth America and which lived from theOligocene to theEarly Miocene, 33.9—15.97Ma (AEO), existing for approximately18 million years.[1] It was the last surviving genus of thehesperocyonine subfamily, the oldest subfamily of canids.[2] The genus is named forHenry Fairfield Osborn.[3]
Seven known species ofOsbornodon existed:
The earlier species were about the size of a small fox, and had teeth suggesting an omnivorous orhypocarnivorous diet. Later species were larger and more actively predaceous. The last species,O. fricki, was about the size of a large wolf.[2]
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