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Oligobuninae
''Oligobuninae'' is an extinct subfamily of the family Mustelidae known from Miocene deposits in North America. The subfamily was described by J. A. Baskin in 1998; of the genera that he assigned to this clade, seven are recognized today - ''Brachypsalis'', ''Megalictis'', ''Oligobunis'', ''Promartes'', ''Zodiolestes'', '' Floridictis'' and '' Parabrachypsalis'' - representing thirteen separate species. ''Potamotherium ''Potamotherium'' ('river beast') an extinct genus of caniform carnivoran from the Miocene epoch of France and Germany. It has been previously assigned to the mustelid family, but recent work suggests that it represents a primitive relative of p ...'', usually considered to belong to Oligobuninae, has been reclassified as a basal pinnipedomorph in the family Semantoridae, which also includes '' Puijila'' and '' Semantor''.Berta, A., Morgan, C., & Boessenecker, R.W. (2018). "The Origin and Evolutionary Biology of Pinnipeds: Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses". Annua ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megalictis
''Megalictis'' is an extinct genus of large predatory mustelids that existed in North America during the "cat gap" from the Late Arikareean (Ar4) in the Miocene epoch. It is thought to have resembled a huge ferret, with a body mass of up to . History of discovery The genus ''Megalictis'' was first described by W. D. Matthew in 1907, and assigned to the family Mustelidae.Paleobiology Database Two similar genera discovered at the same time, ''Aelurocyon'' (Peterson, 1907) and ''Paroligobunis'' (Peterson, 1910) were identified as synonymous with ''Megalictis'' in 1996Andersson, p.39 though ''Paroligobunis'' was re-established as a separate genus in 1998. P. R. Bjork, in 1970, assigned the genus to the subfamily Mellivorinae, whilst J. A. Baskin reassigned it to Oligobuninae in 1998. Three species have been identified in the genus: ''M. ferox'', ''M. petersoni'', and ''M. frazieri'', whilst two more, ''Megalictis brevifacies'' and ''Megalictis simplicidens'', have since been det ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brachypsalis
''Brachypsalis'' is an extinct genus of mustelids, which existed during the Miocene period. The genus was first described by E. D. Cope in 1890. A similar genus, ''Brachypsaloides'', was later identified as synonymous with ''Brachypsalis''. Cope assigned the genus to the family ''Mustelidae'', whilst J. A. Baskin assigned it to the subfamily ''Oligobuninae ''Oligobuninae'' is an extinct subfamily of the family Mustelidae The Mustelidae (; from Latin ''mustela'', weasel) are a family of carnivorous mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks and wolverines, among othe ...'' in 1998.Paleobiology Database Five species have been identified in the genus: ''B. hyaenoides'', ''B. matutinus'', ''B. modicus'', ''B. obliquidens'', and ''B. pachycephalus''. A sixth species, ''B. simplicidens'', was later determined to be synonymous with '' Megalictis ferox''. Notes References * Prehistoric mustelids Miocene mustelids Prehistoric mammals of Nort ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oligobunis
''Oligobunis'' is an extinct genus of mustelids, which existed during the Miocene epoch. The genus was first described by E. D. Cope in 1881. Cope assigned the genus to the family Mustelidae, and J. A. Baskin assigned it to the subfamily Oligobuninae ''Oligobuninae'' is an extinct subfamily of the family Mustelidae The Mustelidae (; from Latin ''mustela'', weasel) are a family of carnivorous mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks and wolverines, among othe ... in 1998. Two species have been identified in the genus: '' O. crassivultus'' and '' O. floridanus''. Three more - '' O. gemmarosae'', '' O. lepidus'', and '' O. vantasselensis'' - were later assigned to the genus '' Promartes''.Riggs (1942) ''O. floridanus'' was a medium-sized badger type mustelid carnivore that filled the niche of small cats during the "cat gap" of the early to middle Miocene in North America. Its fossils have been discovered in Florida, Nebraska, and Oregon. Notes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Promartes
''Promartes'' is a genus of mustelids, now extinct, which existed during the Miocene period. Taxonomy The genus was first described in 1942, by E. S. Riggs, who identified the sister genus '' Zodiolestes'' at the same time, and assigned to the family Mustelidae. It belongs to the subfamily Oligobuninae. Five species have been identified in the genus: ''Promartes darbyi'', ''P. gemmarosae'', ''P. lepidus'', ''P. olcotti'', and''P. vantasselensis'', three of which were originally identified as members of ''Oligobunis ''Oligobunis'' is an extinct genus of mustelids, which existed during the Miocene epoch. The genus was first described by E. D. Cope in 1881. Cope assigned the genus to the family Mustelidae, and J. A. Baskin assigned it to the subfamily Oligo ...''.Riggs (1942) Notes References * * {{Taxonbar, from=Q7249679 Prehistoric mustelids Miocene mustelids Prehistoric mammals of North America Prehistoric carnivoran genera ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zodiolestes
''Zodiolestes'' is a genus of mustelids, now extinct, which existed during the Miocene period. The genus was first described in 1942, by E. S. Riggs, who identified the sister genus ''Promartes'' at the same time, and assigned to the family Procyonidae. In 1998 it was assigned to the subfamily Oligobuninae of the family Mustelidae. Two species have been identified in the genus: '' Z. daimonelixensis'' and '' Z. freundi''. ''Z. daimonelixensis'' showed digging adaptations, and one fossil was found curled up in the "corkscrew" burrow of the Miocene beaver, ''Palaeocastor''. ''Zodiolestes'' was most likely a predator of these fossorial beavers. This situation was analogous to the modern day prairie dog (genus ''Cynomys'') and its predator the black-footed ferret (''Mustela nigripes The black-footed ferret (''Mustela nigripes''), also known as the American polecatHeptner, V. G. (Vladimir Georgievich); Nasimovich, A. A; Bannikov, Andrei Grigorovich; Hoffmann, Robert S. (2001)'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mustelidae
The Mustelidae (; from Latin ''mustela'', weasel) are a family of carnivorous mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks and wolverines, among others. Mustelids () are a diverse group and form the largest family in the suborder Caniformia of the order Carnivora. They comprise about 66 to 70 species in nine subfamilies. Variety Mustelids vary greatly in size and behaviour. The smaller variants of the least weasel can be under in length, while the giant otter of Amazonian South America can measure up to and sea otters can exceed in weight. Wolverines can crush bones as thick as the femur of a moose to get at the marrow, and have been seen attempting to drive bears away from their kills. The sea otter uses rocks to break open shellfish to eat. Martens are largely arboreal, while European badgers dig extensive tunnel networks, called setts. Only one mustelid has been domesticated; the ferret. Tayra are also kept as pets (although they requ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Potamotherium
''Potamotherium'' ('river beast') an extinct genus of caniform carnivoran from the Miocene epoch of France and Germany. It has been previously assigned to the mustelid family, but recent work suggests that it represents a primitive relative of pinnipeds. Classification The genus was first described in 1833. Carroll (1988) assigned it to the family Mustelidae as a member of the subfamily Oligobuninae. However, it was recently suggested that ''Potamotherium'' was not a mustelid at all, but rather a very basal pinniped. Berta et al. (2018) placed ''Potamotherium'' along with '' Puijila'' and '' Semantor'' in the family Semantoridae. Two species have been identified in the genus: ''P. valletoni'', the type species, and ''P. miocenicum''. Distribution Finds range from the mid-latitudes of Europe and North America, dated from the Oligocene/Miocene boundary and surviving through to the end of the Miocene.Mörs, T. & Von Koenigswald, W. (2000): ''Potamotherium valletoni'' (Carni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoological names with "-inae". See also * International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants * International Code of Zoological Nomenclature * Rank (botany) * Rank (zoology) In biological classification, taxonomic rank is the relative level of a group of organisms (a taxon) in an ancestral or hereditary hierarchy. A common system consists of species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, domain. While ... Sources {{biology-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Semantoridae
Semantoridae is an extinct family of stem-pinnipeds with fossils found in France, Kazakhstan, and Canada, dating back to various points in time in the Miocene epoch. Based on their overall anatomy semantorids were not marine specialists, as their elongated bodies, a long tail and robust limbs suggest they were freshwater animals not unlike otters. Indeed, at least some taxa such as '' Semantor'' and ''Potamotherium'' were initially classified as mustelid The Mustelidae (; from Latin ''mustela'', weasel) are a family of carnivorous mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks and wolverines, among others. Mustelids () are a diverse group and form the largest family in ...s closely related to otters. References Miocene pinnipeds Transitional fossils Prehistoric mammal families {{paleo-carnivora-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Puijila
''Puijila darwini'' is an extinct species of stem-pinniped which lived during the Miocene epoch about 21 to 24 million years ago. Approximately a metre (three feet) in length, the animal possessed only minimal physical adaptations for swimming. Unlike modern pinnipeds, it did not have flippers and its overall form was otter-like, albeit more specialized; its skull and teeth are the features that most clearly indicate that it is a seal. It is considered to be the most primitive pinnipedimorph yet found. The genus name is an Inuktitut word for a young seal; the species name honours the English naturalist Charles Darwin. The holotype and only known specimen is a nearly complete fossilised skeleton. It is being housed at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, Ontario. Background ''Puijila darwini'' was a semi-aquatic carnivore which represents a morphological link in early pinniped evolution. Its fossil remains demonstrate the presence of enlarged, probably webbed feet, robu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
