Overview
Sparassodonta is an extinct order of carnivorous metatherian mammals native to South America. They were once considered to be true marsupials, but are now thought to be a sister taxon to them.1] A number of these mammalian predators closely resemble placental predators that evolved separately on other continents, and are cited frequently as examples of convergent evolution. They were first described by Florentino Ameghino, from fossils found in the Santa Cruz beds of Patagonia. Sparassodonts were present throughout South America's long period of "splendid isolation" during the Cenozoic; during this time they shared the niches for large warm-blooded predators with the flightless terror birds. However, they died out quickly once formation of the Isthmus of Panama in the Pliocene permitted the immigration of more advanced eutherian predators from North America in the Great American Interchange.
Features
Although members of the order Sparassodonta showed many similarities with placental carnivores, they were not closely related and are a very good example of convergent evolution. For example, sparassodonts' molars were very similar to the sharp teeth of placental carnivores. The canines were also lengthened, and in some cases resemble those of saber-toothed cats. Their body size varied, ranging from 80 cm (2 ft 8 in) long to the size of today's modern big cats.
Classification
- Order Sparassodonta[2]
- Genus Pseudonotictis
- Genus Sallacyon
- Family Mayulestidae
- Genus Mayulestes
- Genus Allqokirus
- Family Hathliacynidae
- Genus Patene
- Genus Palaeocladosictis
- Genus Procladosictis
- Genus Pseudocladosictis
- Genus Notogale
- Genus Cladosictis
- Genus Sipalocyon
- Genus Thylacodictis
- Genus Agustylus
- Genus Ictioborus
- Genus Amphithereutes
- Genus Parathereutes
- Genus Chasicostylus
- Genus Notictis
- Genus Notocynus
- Genus Borhyaenidium
- Family Borhyaenidae
- Genus Nemolestes
- Genus Argyrolestes
- Genus Angelocabrerus
- Genus Pharsophorus
- Genus Borhyaena
- Genus Acrocyon
- Genus Conodonictis
- Genus Eutemnodus
- Genus Parahyaenodon
- Family Proborhyaenidae
- Genus Arminiheringia
- Genus Callistoe
- Genus Paraborhyaena
- Genus Proborhyaena
- Family Prothylacinidae
- Genus Pseudothylacinus
- Genus Prothylacynus
- Genus Dukecynus
- Genus Lycopsis
- Genus Stylocynus
- Genus Pseudolycopsis
- Family Thylacosmilidae
- Genus Anachlysictis
- Genus Achlysictis
- Genus Amphiproviverra
- ?Genus Hondadelphys
- Genus Hyaenodontops
- Genus Notosmilus
- Genus Patagosmilus[3]
- Genus Thylacosmilus
Classification
- Order Sparassodonta[2]
- Genus Pseudonotictis
- Genus Sallacyon
- Family Mayulestidae
- Genus Mayulestes
- Genus Allqokirus
- Family Hathliacynidae
- Genus Patene
- Genus Palaeocladosictis
- Genus Procladosictis
- Genus Pseudocladosictis
- Genus Notogale
- Genus Cladosictis
- Genus Sipalocyon
- Genus Thylacodictis
- Genus Agustylus
- Genus Ictioborus
- Genus Amphithereutes
- Genus Parathereutes
- Genus Chasicostylus
- Genus Notictis
- Genus Notocynus
- Genus Borhyaenidium
- Family Borhyaenidae
- Genus Nemolestes
- Genus Argyrolestes
- Genus Angelocabrerus
- Genus Pharsophorus
- Genus Borhyaena
- Genus Acrocyon
- Genus Conodonictis
- Genus Eutemnodus
- Genus Parahyaenodon
- Family Proborhyaenidae
- Genus Arminiheringia
- Genus Callistoe
- Genus Paraborhyaena
- Genus Proborhyaena
- Family Prothylacinidae
- Genus Pseudothylacinus
- Genus Prothylacynus
- Genus Dukecynus
- Genus Lycopsis
- Genus Stylocynus
- Genus Pseudolycopsis
- Family Thylacosmilidae
- Genus Anachlysictis
- Genus Achlysictis
- Genus Amphiproviverra
- ?Genus Hondadelphys
- Genus Hyaenodontops
- Genus Notosmilus
- Genus Patagosmilus[3]
- Genus Thylacosmilus
References
- ^ Naish, Darren (29 June 2008). "Invasion of the marsupial weasels, dogs, cats and bears... or is it?". Tetrapod Zoology. http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/06/borhyaenoids_intro.php. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
- ^ http://www.helsinki.fi/~mhaaramo/metazoa/deuterostoma/chordata/synapsida/metatheria/notometatheria/sparassodonta/sparassodonta.html#Borhyaenidae
- ^ Forasiepi, Anal?a M.; Alfredo A. Carlini (2010). "A new thylacosmilid (Mammalia, Metatheria, Sparassodonta) from the Miocene of Patagonia, Argentina". Zootaxa 2552: 55?68. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/z02552p068f.pdf.
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911).
"Sparassodonta". Encyclop?dia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Taxonomy
The Order Sparassodonta is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Family (3): Borhyaenidae · Hondadelphidae · Mayulestidae
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 0 species and subspecies in the Order Sparassodonta.
Families
Borhyaenidae
Hondadelphidae
Mayulestidae
More info about the Family Mayulestidae may be found here.
References
- ^ Naish, Darren (29 June 2008). "Invasion of the marsupial weasels, dogs, cats and bears... or is it?". Tetrapod Zoology. http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/06/borhyaenoids_intro.php. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
- ^ http://www.helsinki.fi/~mhaaramo/metazoa/deuterostoma/chordata/synapsida/metatheria/notometatheria/sparassodonta/sparassodonta.html#Borhyaenidae
- ^ Forasiepi, Anal?a M.; Alfredo A. Carlini (2010). "A new thylacosmilid (Mammalia, Metatheria, Sparassodonta) from the Miocene of Patagonia, Argentina". Zootaxa 2552: 55?68. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/z02552p068f.pdf.
Sources
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