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Amphicyonidae

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Daphoenus vetus

Sioux County, Nebraska, USA

Daphoenus vetus

Sioux County, Nebraska, USA

Daphoenus vetus

Sioux County, Nebraska, USA

Description

Amphicyonidae is an extinct family of large terrestrial carnivorans belonging to the suborder Caniformia which inhabited North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa from the Middle Eocene subepoch to the Pliocene epoch 42–2.6 Mya, existing for about 39.4 million years. Amphicyonids are often colloquially referred to as "bear-dogs". They are closely related to true dogs (Canidae) and a little less related to bears (Ursidae).

From Wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphicyonidae, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

Source Data

Source	ID	Link
Global Biodiversity Information Facility ID (GBIF)	3240054	https://www.gbif.org/species/3240054
PaleoBioDB ID (PBDB)	41266	https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=41266

Rank

family

Taxonomy (GBIF,PBDB)

Life : Animalia : Chordata : Mammalia : Carnivora : Amphicyonidae

Taxonomic Status (GBIF)

accepted

Classification
(PBDB,GBIF)

Rank	Name	Author
-	Eukaryota
-	Opisthokonta	Cavalier-Smith 1987
kingdom	Animalia
-	Triploblastica	Lankester 1877
-	Nephrozoa	Jondelius et al. 2002
-	Deuterostomia	Grobben 1908
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1847
subphylum	Vertebrata	Lamarck 1801
superclass	Gnathostomata	Gegenbauer 1874
-	Osteichthyes
-	Sarcopterygii	Romer 1955
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha
-	Tetrapoda
-	Reptiliomorpha	Säve-Söderbergh 1934
-	Anthracosauria	Säve-Söderbergh 1934
-	Batrachosauria
-	Cotylosauria
-	Amniota	Haeckel 1866
-	Synapsida	Osborn 1903
-	Therapsida
infraorder	Cynodontia
-	Epicynodontia	Hopson and Kitching 2001
infraorder	Eucynodontia	Kemp 1982
-	Probainognathia	Hopson 1990
-	Mammaliamorpha	Rowe 1988
-	Mammaliaformes	Rowe 1988
class	Mammalia	Linnaeus 1758
subclass	Tribosphenida
infraclass	Eutheria
-	Placentalia	Owen 1837
-	Laurasiatheria	Waddell et al. 1999
-	Scrotifera	Waddell et al. 1999
-	Ferae	Linnaeus 1758
-	Carnivoramorpha	Wyss and Flynn 1993
-	Carnivoraformes	Flynn et al.
order	Carnivora	Bowditch 1821
suborder	Caniformia	Kretzoi 1943
family	Amphicyonidae	Haeckel 1886

Common Name

bear-dog

Scientific Name

Amphicyonidae

Opinions (PBDB)

Name	Rank	Opinion	Evidence	Author
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Arctoidea	implied	Carroll, 1988
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Arctoidea	stated with evidence	Hunt, 1998
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Arctoidea	stated without evidence	Hunt, 2001
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Carnivora	stated without evidence	Sach and Heizmann, 2001
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Arctoidea	stated without evidence	Hunt, 2002
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Caniformia	stated without evidence	Morlo et al., 2007
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Carnivora	stated without evidence	Morales et al., 2007
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Arctoidea	stated without evidence	Hunt, 2011
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Caniformia	stated with evidence	Tomiya, 2011
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Arctoidea	stated without evidence	Hunt and Stepleton, 2015
Amphicyonidae	family	belongs to Caniformia	stated without evidence	Tomiya and Tseng, 2016

Status (PBDB)

extant

Taxon Size (PBDB)

134

Extant Size (PBDB)

2 (1.5%)

First Recorded Appearance

46.2 - 40.4 Ma
Eocene

Environment

terrestrial (based on Eutheria)

Motility

actively mobile (based on Osteichthyes)

Diet

carnivore

Ecospace Comments

feeding preferences of beardogs must have ranged widely from carnivorous to omnivorous (i.e., mostly carnivorous)

Taphonomy

phosphatic (based on Vertebrata)

Primary Reference (PBDB)

R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution

Common Name(s)

Bear-dog

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphicyonidae

Fossil Distribution

Subtaxa

Name	Status	Common Name(s)	Fossil Occurrences	Oldest	Youngest
Amphicyoninae subfamily	listed (PBDB)		266	30.8 Ma Oligocene	5.33 Ma Miocene
Aphicyoninae subfamily	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Daphoeninae subfamily	listed (PBDB)		161	40.4 Ma Eocene	20.4 Ma Miocene
Haplocyoninae ✝ subfamily	listed (PBDB)
Temnocyoninae subfamily	listed (PBDB)		23	33.3 Ma Oligocene	24.8 Ma Oligocene
Thaumastocyoninae ✝ subfamily	listed (PBDB)		1	16.9 Ma Miocene	16.9 Ma Miocene
Adilophontes ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		3	30.8 Ma Oligocene	24.8 Ma Oligocene
Afrocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		6	23.0 Ma Miocene	11.6 Ma Miocene
Agnotherium ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		5	20.4 Ma Miocene	16.0 Ma Miocene
Amphicyanis ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Amphicyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		4	23.0 Ma Miocene	16.0 Ma Miocene
Angelarctocyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		2	40.4 Ma Eocene	40.4 Ma Eocene
Arctamphicyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Bonisicyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		2	11.6 Ma Miocene	7.25 Ma Miocene
Borocyon genus	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Brachycyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Brachyrhynchocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		30	37.2 Ma Eocene	33.9 Ma Oligocene
Cynodictis ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		14	55.8 Ma Eocene	33.9 Ma Oligocene
Daphoenictis ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		12	40.4 Ma Eocene	37.2 Ma Eocene
Daphoenodon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		43	30.8 Ma Oligocene	20.4 Ma Miocene
Daphoenus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		73	40.4 Ma Eocene	20.4 Ma Miocene
Delotrochanter ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		5	26.3 Ma Oligocene	24.8 Ma Oligocene
Dinocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		3	23.0 Ma Miocene	16.9 Ma Miocene
Goupilictis ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		4	28.4 Ma Oligocene	11.6 Ma Miocene
Guangxicyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	37.2 Ma Eocene	37.2 Ma Eocene
Gustafsonia ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	37.2 Ma Eocene	37.2 Ma Eocene
Haplocyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	28.1 Ma Oligocene	28.1 Ma Oligocene
Haplocyonoides ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		5	22.4 Ma Miocene	16.0 Ma Miocene
Haplocyonopsis ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Harpagophagus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	33.9 Ma Oligocene	33.9 Ma Oligocene
Ictiocyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		2	23.0 Ma Miocene	20.4 Ma Miocene
Ischyrocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		38	23.0 Ma Miocene	11.6 Ma Miocene
Mammacyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		7	30.8 Ma Oligocene	24.8 Ma Oligocene
Myacyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		2	13.8 Ma Miocene	5.33 Ma Miocene
Notoamphicyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Paradaphoenus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		11	33.9 Ma Oligocene	20.4 Ma Miocene
Pliocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		10	23.0 Ma Miocene	16.0 Ma Miocene
Protemnocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	33.9 Ma Oligocene	33.9 Ma Oligocene
Pseudamphicyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Pseudarctos ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		13	23.0 Ma Miocene	12.8 Ma Miocene
Pseudocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		25	20.4 Ma Miocene	13.6 Ma Miocene
Pseudocyonopsis ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	33.9 Ma Oligocene	33.9 Ma Oligocene
Rudiocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	30.8 Ma Oligocene	30.8 Ma Oligocene
Sarcocyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Symplectocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Temnocyon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		9	33.3 Ma Oligocene	24.8 Ma Oligocene
Vishnucyon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Ysengrinia ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		14	30.8 Ma Oligocene	20.4 Ma Miocene

Synonymy List

Year	Name and Author
1886	Amphicyonidae Haeckel
1988	Amphicyonidae Carroll
1998	Amphicyonidae Hunt, Jr. p. 200
2001	Amphicyonidae Hunt, Jr. p. 3
2001	Amphicyonidae Sach and Heizmann p. 28
2002	Amphicyonidae Hunt, Jr. p. 9
2003	Amphicyonidae Zhai et al. p. 294
2005	Amphicyonidae Wang et al. p. 7

Year	Name and Author
2007	Amphicyonidae Morales et al. p. 75
2007	Amphicyonidae Morlo et al. p. 149
2010	Amphicyonidae Werdelin and Peigne p. 603
2011	Amphicyonidae Hunt, Jr. p. 21
2011	Amphicyonidae Tomiya p. 19
2015	Amphicyonidae Hunt, Jr. and Stepleton pp. e891229-4
2016	Amphicyonidae Tomiya and Tseng p. 5

References

Carroll R. L. (1988) , Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution, 1-698

Hunt, Jr. R. M. (1998) Amphicyonidae, 196-227

Hunt, Jr. R. M. (2001) Small Oligocene amphicyonids from North America (Paradaphoenus, Mammalia, Carnivora), American Museum Novitates 3331, 1-20

Sach V. J., Heizmann E. P. J. (2001) Stratigraphy and mammal faunas of the Brackwassermolasse in the surroundings of Ulm (Southwest Germany), Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde Serie B (Geologie und Paläontologie) 310, 1-95

Hunt, Jr. R. M. (2002) New amphicyonid carnivorans (Mammalia, Daphoeninae) from the early Miocene of southeastern Wyoming, American Museum Novitates 3385, 1-41

Zhai R., Ciochon R. L., et al (2003) An aberrant amphicyonid mammal from the latest Eocene of the Bose Basin, Guangxi, China, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 48 2, 293-300

Wang X., Qiu Z., et al (2005) Hyaenodonts and carnivorans from the early Oligocene to early Miocene of the Xianshuihe Formation, Lanzhou Basin, Gansu Province, China, Palaeontologia Electronica 8 1, 1-14

Morales J., Pickford M., et al (2007) New carnivoran material (Creodonta, Carnivora and Incertae sedis) from the Early Miocene of Napak, Uganda, Paleontological Research 11 1, 71-84 doi:10.2517/1342-8144(2007)11[71:NCMCCA]2.0.CO;2

Morlo M., Miller E. R., et al (2007) Creodonta and Carnivora from Wadi Moghra, Egypt, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27 1, 145-159

Werdelin L., Peigne S. (2010) Carnivora, Cenozoic Mammals of Africa, 603-657

Hunt, Jr. R. M. (2011) Evolution of Large Carnivores During the Mid-Cenozoic of North America: The Temnocyonine Radiation (Mammalia, Amphicyonidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 358, 1-153 doi:10.1206/358.1

Tomiya S. (2011) A new basal caniform (Mammalia: Carnivora) from the middle Eocene of North America and remarks on the phylogeny of early carnivorans, PLoS ONE 6 9, e24146 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0024146

Hunt, Jr. R. M., Stepleton E. (2015) A Skull of the Immigrant Eurasian Beardog Cynelos (Carnivora, Amphicyonidae) from the Early Miocene of Southern California, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 1 doi:10.1080/02724634.2014.891229

Tomiya S., Tseng Z. J. (2016) Whence the beardogs? Reappraisal of the Middle to Late Eocene ‘Miacis’ from Texas, USA, and the origin of Amphicyonidae (Mammalia, Carnivora), Royal Society Open Science 3, 160518 doi:10.1098/rsos.160518

Benton, M.J. (ed). (1993). The Fossil Record 2. Chapman & Hall, London, 845 pp. - via The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera

SN2000: Brands, S. J. (compiler) 1989-2005. Systema Naturae 2000. Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2006 version). Available online at http://sn2000.taxonomy.nl/. - via The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera

Data courtesy of: PBDB: The Paleobiology Database, Creative Commons CC-BY licenced. , GBIF: the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, various licences, iDigBio, various licences, and EOL: The Encyclopedia of Life (Open Data Public Domain). Because fossils are made of minerals too!

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