''Prototocyon'' or ''Sivacyon'' 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 ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of small

omnivorous An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nutri ...

canid Canidae (; from Latin, '' canis'', " dog") is a biological family of dog-like carnivorans, colloquially referred to as dogs, and constitutes a clade. A member of this family is also called a canid (). There are three subfamilies found withi ...

living during the

Late Pliocene Late may refer to: * LATE, an acronym which could stand for: ** Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, a proposed form of dementia ** Local-authority trading enterprise, a New Zealand business law ** Local average treatment effect, ...

and

Early Pleistocene The Early Pleistocene is an unofficial sub-epoch in the international geologic timescale in chronostratigraphy, being the earliest division of the Pleistocene Epoch within the ongoing Quaternary Period. It is currently estimated to span the time ...

Taxonomy

''Prototocyon'' was named by Pohle (1928) and was assigned to Canidae by Carroll (1988). Old literature relates it to ''

Vulpes bengalensis The Bengal fox (''Vulpes bengalensis''), also known as the Indian fox, is a fox endemic to the Indian subcontinent from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal through southern India, and from southern and eastern Pakistan to eastern India an ...

'', but not more modern literature (e.g. McKenna and Bell.Mammalian Species No. 795, pp. 1–5, 3 figs. Vulpes bengalensis. By Matthew E. Gompper and Abi Tamim Vanak
Published 9 August 2006 by the American Society of Mammalogists) Tedford et al. 2009 suggest that ''Prototocyon'' and ''

Otocyon The bat-eared fox (''Otocyon megalotis'') is a species of fox found on the African savanna. It is the only extant species of the genus ''Otocyon'' and considered a basal canid species. Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during t ...

'' form a clade.

Description

''Prototocyon'' was a small canine similar to the bat-eared fox in overall morphology and likely in habits as well. It differed from the modern bat-eared fox mainly in its more primitive dentition.

Fossil distribution

Fossil remains of ''P. curvipalatus'' were recovered from the early Pleistocene Upper Siwaliks horizon of the Siwalik Hills,

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

(Colbert 1935; Pilgrim 1932). Fossils of ''P recki'' have been found by the

Olduvai gorge The Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge in Tanzania is one of the most important paleoanthropology, paleoanthropological localities in the world; the many sites exposed by the gorge have proven invaluable in furthering understanding of early human ev ...

area in

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7252154 Vulpini Prehistoric canines Pleistocene carnivorans Pleistocene mammals of Asia Pleistocene mammals of Africa Fossil taxa described in 1928 Prehistoric carnivoran genera