Kingdom Animalia Class Mammalia Family Canidae Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Order Carnivora Subfamily †Borophaginae | |
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Borophagus orc is an extinct species of the genus Borophagus of the subfamily Borophaginae, a group of canids endemic to North America from the 10.3 Mya to 4.9 Mya. Borophagus orc existed for approximately 5.4 million years.
Contents
Overview
Borophagus, like other Borophaginae, are loosely known as "bone-crushing" or "hyena-like" dogs. Though not the most massive borophagine by size or weight, it had a more highly evolved capacity to crunch bone than earlier, larger genera such as Epicyon, which seems to be an evolutionary trend of the group (Turner, 2004). During the Pliocene epoch, Borophagus began being displaced by Canis genera such as Canis edwardii and later by Canis dirus. Early species of Borophagus were placed in the genus Osteoborus until recently, but the genera are now considered synonyms. Borophagus orc possibly led a hyena-like lifestyle scavenging carcasses of recently dead animals.
Taxonomy
Typical features of this genus are a bulging forehead and powerful jaws; it was probably a scavenger. Its crushing premolar teeth and strong jaw muscles would have been used to crack open bone, much like the hyena of the Old World. The adult animal is estimated to have been about 80 centimetres (31 in) in length, similar to a coyote, although it was much more powerfully built.
Morphology
Two fossil specimens of Borophagus orc were measured by Legendre and Roth in 1988. They estimated that specimen one weighed 24.3 kilograms (54 lb) and the second weighed 22 kilograms (49 lb).
Recombination
Borophagus orc was recombined by X. Wang in 1999.
Fossil distribution
Specimens were found at only two sites. Near Withlacoochee River, Florida and coastal North Carolina.