| Patagosmilus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | †Sparassodonta |
| Family: | †Thylacosmilidae |
| Genus: | †Patagosmilus Forasiepi & Carlini 2010 |
| Species: | †P. goini |
| Binomial name | |
| †Patagosmilus goini Forasiepi & Carlini 2010 | |
Patagosmilus ("Patagonian knife" inGreek) is an extinctgenus of meat-eatingmetatherianmammal of the family Thylacosmilidae, that lived in theMiddle Miocene inSouth America.[1] Like other representatives of this family, such asThylacosmilus atrox andAnachlysictis gracilis, it was characterized by its elongatedfangs of the upper jaw, similar to the well known "sabertooth cats" (Machairodontinae), of which they were ecological equivalents. Despite being geologically younger thanAnachlysictis, the morphology ofPatagosmilus (including a bowedmolar row and extremely long, "saber-like" upper canines) suggests that this species was more closely related toThylacosmilus thanAnachlysictis, though in other respects this species is less specialized thanThylacosmilus.[2]
The only known species ofPatagosmilus isP. goini, named in honor of the Argentinepaleontologist Francisco Goín. This species was first described and named in 2010 by Analía Forasiepi and Alfredo Carlini based on the specimenMLP 07-VII-1-1, a crushedskull and several postcranial fragments including part of an ungualphalanx that was discovered in theCollón Curá Formation dated to the Middle Miocene (Colloncuran) on the west bank of theChico River, inRío Negro Province of ArgentinePatagonia. This is the first representative of Thylacosmilidae with remains found in Patagonia, and the first genus recognised, along withThylacosmilus andAnachlysictis that is an indisputable member of this group.[2]
