Rank Genus | Phylum Chordata | |
Similar Enhydrocyon, Osbornodon, Cormocyon, Otarocyon | ||
Paraenhydrocyon ("beside Enhydrocyon") is an extinct genus of bone crushing omnivorous mammal similar to a dog of the family Canidae which inhabited North America during the Oligocene living from 33.3—20.6 Ma and existed for approximately 12.7 million years.
Contents
Though a carnivore, dentition suggests this animal was a hypercarnivore or mesocarnivore.
Taxonomy
Paraenhydrocyon was named by Wang (1994). It was assigned to Canidae by Wang (1994) and Munthe (1998).
Morphology
Two specimens were examined by Legendre and Roth for body mass. The first specimen was estimated to weigh 8.86 kg (20 lb). The second specimen was estimated to weigh 8.43 kg (19 lb).
Dentition
In addition to its retention of several primitive cranial characters, Paraenhydrocyon dentition includes unique sharp-tipped, slender premolars which clearly contrasts with the strong premolars of the Mesocyon–Enhydrocyon clade. Paraenhydrocyon parallels the Mesocyon–Enhydrocyon clade by having a reduced metaconid (cusp) of the lower molars.