Phlaocyonini is an

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

of hypocarnivorous

borophagine The extinct Borophaginae form one of three subfamilies found within the canid family. The other two canid subfamilies are the extinct Hesperocyoninae and extant Caninae. Borophaginae, called "bone-crushing dogs", were endemic to North America dur ...

s (bone-crushing dogs). They were endemic to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

and from the

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but the ...

epoch (

Whitneyan The Whitneyan North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 33,300,000 to 30,800,000 years BP, a period of . It is usual ...

stage) to the

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first 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 means "less recen ...

( Early Barstovian) living ~33.3–5.3 Ma, existing for approximately . The clade includes ''

Cynarctoides ''Cynarctoides'' is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lived from the Early Oligocene to the Middle Miocene, 33.3—13.6 Mya, existing for approximately . Seven species are currently recognised, ...

'' and ''

Phlaocyon ''Phlaocyon'' (from Greek ''phlao'', "eat greedily" and ''cyon'', "dog") is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lives from the Early Oligocene to the Early Miocene epoch 33.3–16.3 Annum, Mya, exi ...

''. These two genus members represent differing approaches of hypocarnivory. The ''Cynarctoides'' trend toward having molar teeth with crowns formed of crescent-shaped

cusp A cusp is the most pointed end of a curve. It often refers to cusp (anatomy), a pointed structure on a tooth. Cusp or CUSP may also refer to: Mathematics * Cusp (singularity), a singular point of a curve * Cusp catastrophe, a branch of bifurc ...

s and remain small in size. ''Phlaocyon'' specialize toward rounded cusps on the molar teeth but of increasing size, with an unusual trend toward being

hypercarnivore A hypercarnivore is an animal which has a diet that is more than 70% meat, either via active predation or by scavenging. The remaining non-meat diet may consist of non-animal foods such as fungi, fruits or other plant material. Some extant examp ...

s by two terminal species in the clade. Four transitional species of ''

Cormocyon ''Cormocyon'' is an extinct genus of borophagine canid native to North America. It lived from the Oligocene to the Early Miocene The Early Miocene (also known as Lower Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of ...

'' and ''

Desmocyon ''Desmocyon'' is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lived from the Late Oligocene to the Early Miocene, 24.8—16.3 Annum, Mya, existing for approximately . It is a rarely found genus, with fossil ...

'' occupy intermediate positions between the Phlaocyonini and

Cynarctina Cynarctina is an extinct clade of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. They lived from the Early to Middle Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). Th ...

. These represent a gradual size increase toward medium-size individuals.Phylogenetic systematics of the Borophaginae (Carnivora, Canidae). Bulletin of the AMNH; no. 243, Wang, Tedford, Taylor.
/ref>

Fossil distribution

A few of many sites: * Wewela Site, Turtle Butte Formation,

Tripp County, South Dakota Tripp County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,624. Its county seat is Winner. The county was created in 1873, and was organized in 1909. It is named for lawyer, judge, and diplomat Bar ...

(''

minor'') ~30.8–20.6 Ma. *

Brooksville 2 Site Brooksville is the name of several places in the United States: * Brooksville, Blount County, Alabama * Brooksville, Morgan County, Alabama * Brooksville, Florida **Brooksville Army Airfield, named after the Florida town * Brooksville, Georgia * Bro ...

Hernando County, Florida Hernando County is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 194,515. Its county seat is Brooksville, and its largest community is Spring Hill. Hernando County is incl ...

(''Phlaocyon taylori'') ~26.3–24.8 Ma. * Split Rock Site,

Arikaree Formation The Arikaree Formation, also Arikaree Group or Arikaree Sandstone is a geological unit in the central High Plains of the western United States. It preserves fossils dating to the late Oligocene to early Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geo ...

Fremont County, Wyoming Fremont County is a county in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 39,234, making it the fifth-most populous county in Wyoming. Its county seat is Lander. The county was founded in 1884 and is name ...

, (''

'') ~20.6–16.3 Ma. * Cedar Run Site,

Oakville Formation The Oakville Formation is a geologic formation in Texas. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Texas * Paleontology in Texas Paleontology in Texas refers to paleontol ...

Washington County, Texas Washington County is a county in Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,805. Its county seat is Brenham, which is located along U.S. Highway 290, 72 miles northwest of Houston. The county was created in 1835 as a municipality of ...

(''

'') ~20.3–5.3 Ma. * Nambe Site, Tesuque Formation,

Santa Fe County, New Mexico Santa Fe County ( es, Condado de Santa Fe; meaning ''Holy faith'' in Spanish) is located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2010 census, the population was 144,170, making it New Mexico's third-most populous county, after Bernalillo Cou ...

, (''Cynarctoides acridens'') ~20.3–5.3 Ma.

Resources

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2486786 Miocene carnivorans Messinian extinctions Mammal tribes Prehistoric mammals of North America Rupelian first appearances