| Simocyoninae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Illustration of the skull from the genusSimocyon | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Ailuridae |
| Subfamily: | †Simocyoninae Dawkins, 1868 |
| Genera | |
Simocyoninae is an extinct subfamily ofAiluridae (of which the only recent member is thered panda).[1] The taxonomic history of this group was complicated, as researchers placed various fossilcaniform genera into the subfamily. In addition toSimocyon, there was alsoOligobunis (an earlymustelid),Cephalogale (a stem-bear), andEnhydrocyon (ahesperocyoninecanid). This subfamily was initially classified within the Canidae or dog family. This idea went even further in 1910 when AmericanpaleontologistHenry Fairfield Osborn considereddholes,African wild dogs, andbush dogs to be the only extant representation left of the simocyonines. This was in large part to the overall similarity in the morphology of their molars, which suggested a shared ancestry of hypercarnivory. This view point was not supported by European paleontologists who believed thatSimocyon was more closely related tomusteloids. Soon the Simocyoninae were found as extinct subfamily ofprocyonids, or members of the raccoon-family, due to similarity of the basicranium of these animals. This was supported by subsequent researchers. It was not until a more completed skull of aSimocyon found in northShaanxi,China was described by Wang (1997) who found that Simocyoninae is closely related Ailurinae on the basis of cranial and dental characteristics.[2]
Characteristics of the simocyonines that differentiate them from the ailurines are highly specialize premolars that enabled them to crush bone. This suggests the simocyonines were either specialized bone-crushing carnivorans likehyenas or were at least able to digest bone in their diet when consuming whole small animal prey. However it was not as fully developed as the aforementioned hyenas.[3]
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