Subphylum Vertebrata Order Carnivoramorpha Scientific name Carpocyon webbi | Phylum Chordata Rank Genus | |
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Similar Cormocyon, Cynarctoides, Otarocyon, Enhydrocyon, Osbornodon |
Carpocyon is an extinct member of the Borophaginae, and a terrestrial canine (bear-dog) which inhabited most of North America during the Barstovian stage of the Middle Miocene through the Hemphillian stage of the Late Miocene epoch 13.6 to 5.3 Ma Mya. Carpocyon existed for approximately 16.5 million years.
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Taxonomy
Carpocyon was named by Webb in 1969 and assigned to Canidae by Webb that same year. In 1988, Carroll assigned it to Canidae with X. Wang assigning it to Borophagina in 1999.
Morphology
Two fossil specimens of Carpocyon were measured by Legendre and Roth in 1988. They estimated that specimen one weighed 24.1 kg (53 lb) and the second weighed 21.8 kg (48 lb). Its physical size was between a jackal and a small wolf.
Species
Sister genera
Borophagus, Epicyon, Paratomarctus and Protepicyon.