Tytthaena

Tytthaena ("little hyena") is an extinct genus of oxyaenid from the late Paleocene of North America.[1] Two species are known, T. parrisi and T. lichna.

Tytthaena
Temporal range: 61.7–55.8 Ma middle Paleocene - early Eocene[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: †Oxyaenodonta
Family: †Oxyaenidae
Subfamily: †Tytthaeninae
Gunnell & Gingerich, 1991
Genus: †Tytthaena
Gingerich, 1980
Type species
†Tytthaena parrisi
Species
  • T. lichna (Rose, 1981)[2]
  • T. parrisi (Gingerich, 1980)[3]

Description

Tytthaena is the smallest oxyaenid known. Morphologically, it resembles Oxyaena. It can be distinguished from other oxyaenids by its size and dentition. Its molars were narrow, with elongate talonids.[3][2]

References
  1. "Tytthaena". Fossilworks.
  2. K. D. Rose. (1981.) "The Clarkforkian Land-Mammal Age and Mammalian Faunal Composition Across the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary." University of Michigan Papers on Paleontology 26:1-197
  3. P. D. Gingerich. (1980.) "Tytthaena parrisi, Oldest Known Oxyaenid (Mammalia, Creodonta) from the Late Paleocene of Western North America." Journal of Paleontology 54(3):570-576
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.