Kingdom Animalia Subphylum Vertebrata Order Carnivoramorpha Scientific name Paratomarctus temerarius | Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Suborder Caniformia Rank Genus | |
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Similar Carpocyon, Otarocyon, Cynarctoides, Cormocyon, Osbornodon | ||
Paratomarctus an extinct member of the Borophaginae, subtribe Borophagina, a terrestrial canine (bear-dog) which inhabited most of North America from the Harrisonian stage to Early Barstovian stage of the Miocene epoch living 16.3—5.3 mya, existed for approximately 11 million years.
Contents
Canid competitors
Paratomarctus was one of the last of the Borophaginae and shared its North American habitat with other canidae: Borophagus (23.3—3.6 Mya), Epicyon (20.6—5.330 Ma), Carpocyon (20.4—3.9 Ma), Aelurodon (23.03—4.9 Ma), and the first emerging wolf, Canis lepophagus appearing 10.3 Ma.
Taxonomy
Paratomarctus was named and assigned to Borophagina by Wang et al. (1999). It was recombined as Tephrocyon temerarius by Matthew and Cook (1909), Peterson (1910), Merriam (1913), Matthew (1918) and Merriam (1919); it was recombined as Tomarctus temerarius by Matthew (1924), Green (1948), Galbreath (1953), Downs (1956), Sutton (1977), Voorhies (1990) and Munthe (1998); it was recombined as Paratomarctus temerarius by Wang et al. (1999).
Morphology
Two specimens were examined by Legendre and Roth for body mass. The first specimen was estimated to weigh 12.9 kg (28 lb). The second specimen was estimated to weigh 12 kg (26 lb).
Fossil range
Fossils were uncovered throughout most of the western United States.