Phylum Chordata Order Carnivores | Rank Genus | |
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Similar Osbornodon, Mesocyon, Cynarctoides, Cormocyon, Otarocyon | ||
Enhydrocyon is an extinct genus of bone crushing dog which inhabited North America exclusively during the Oligocene living from around 28.7—22.0 Ma (AEO) and existed for approximately 6.7 million years.
Contents
Enhydrocyon's dentition suggests this animal was a hypercarnivore or mesocarnivore. Species of Enhydrocyon were large, powerfully built carnivores with a short snout and deep jaws reminiscent of a jaguar. David Macdonald describes Enhydrocyon as a Canid-equivalent of a big cat-like carnivore.
Taxonomy
Enhydrocyon was named by Cope (1879). Its type is Enhydrocyon stenocephalus. It was assigned to Canidae by Cope (1879) and Munthe (1998).
Morphology
Two specimens were examined by Legendre and Roth for body mass. The first specimen was estimated to weigh 22.1 kg (49 lb). The second specimen was estimated to weigh 22.4 kg (49 lb).