Borhyaenidae
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| Borhyaenids | |
|---|---|
| Lycopsis longirostris | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Metatheria |
| Order: | †Sparassodonta |
| Family: | †Borhyaenidae Ameghino, 1894 |
The borhyaenids, members of the metatherian family Borhyaenidae (probably not true marsupials, but sister taxa to them; see Sparassodonta), were a carnivorous group of otter/wolverine-shaped marsupials in the order Sparassodonta. They lived in the Miocene of South America.[1] Like most metatherians, they had a pouch to carry their offspring around. Borhyaenids had strong and powerful jaws, like those of Hyaenodon and Andrewsarchus, for crushing bones. They grew up to 5 or 6 feet long. Borhyaena was a member of this group. Today, the Tasmanian Devil, a scavenging marsupial from Tasmania, most resembles them.
[edit] Classification
- †Family Borhyaenidae[2]
- †Genus Nemolestes
- †Genus Argyrolestes
- †Genus Angelocabrerus
- †Genus Pharsophorus
- †Genus Borhyaena
- †Genus Pseudoborhyaena
- †Genus Acrocyon
- †Genus Conodonictis
- †Genus Eutemnodus
- †Genus Parahyaenodon
[edit] References
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