Mesocyon

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Mesocyon
Temporal range: Early Oligocene–Early Miocene
Skull
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Subfamily: Hesperocyoninae
Genus: Mesocyon
Scott, 1890
Type species
Temnocyon coryphaeus
Species
  • M. brachyops Merriam 1906
  • M. coryphaeus Cope 1879
  • M. temnodon Wortman & Matthew 1899

Mesocyon ("middle dog") is an extinct genus of the

Ma, existing for approximately 10 million years.[1] Fossils are known from Oregon, southern California and the northern Great Plains. It was roughly coyote-sized, and the first known canid to have a primarily meat-based diet.[2]

Restoration of Mesocyon (right) and other animals from the Turtle Cove Formation

References