''Brachypsalis'' is an extinct

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

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 ...

s, which existed during the

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

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 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 th ...

'', 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 North America Prehistoric carnivoran genera {{paleo-carnivora-stub