Kingdom Animalia Class Mammalia Family Canidae Scientific name Oxetocyon cuspidatus | Phylum Chordata Order Carnivora Subfamily †Borophaginae Rank Genus | |
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Similar Otarocyon, Cynarctoides, Cormocyon, Carpocyon, Archaeocyon | ||
Oxetocyon ("beginning dog") is an extinct genus of the subfamily Borophaginae and a terrestrial canine which inhabited North America during the Whitneyan stage (33.3 Mya)—(30.8 Mya) of the Oligocene epoch. Oxetocyon existed for approximately 2.5 million years.
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Taxonomy
The teeth of Oxetocyon indicate a more hypocarnivorous diet, as is found in the living raccoon dog, and suggest a potential relationship to the unusual borophagine Otarocyon. Oxetocyon is distinguished from Otarocyon by its own set of dental specializations for an omnivorous diet, particularly by the presence of a cleft that divides each upper molar into front and back halves.
Morphology
Fossil specimens of two individuals' body mass were examined by Legendre and Roth. The first specimen was estimated to weigh 1.04 kg (2.29 lbs). The second specimen was estimated to weigh 1.1 kg (2.44 lbs).
Species
Only a single species, O. cuspidatus, is known. Fossils of Oxetocyon are rare and, as a result, the genus is poorly known, and only the teeth, dentaries, and a fragmentary skull have been reported.
Sister genera
Archaeocyon, Otarocyon, and Rhizocyon.