Parailurus
Appearance
Parailurus Temporal range: early to late Pliocene
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Ailuridae |
Subfamily: | Ailurinae |
Genus: | †Parailurus Schlosser, 1899 |
Species | |
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Parailurus is a genus of extinct carnivoran mammal in the family Ailuridae. It was about 50% larger than Ailurus (red panda) and lived in the early to late Pliocene Epoch, and its fossils have been found in Europe, North America, and Japan.[1]
The fossils of P. baikalicus carry low-crowned lower molars, along with the main cuspids of the cheek teeth being worn horizontally. This suggests P. baikalicus commonly ate leaves.[2]
References
- ^ Goswami, Anjali; Friscia, Anthony, eds. (July 2010). Carnivoran Evolution: New Views on Phylogeny, Form and Function. Cambridge University Press. pp. 117–119. ISBN 978-0-521-51529-0.
- ^ Ogino, Shintaro; Nakaya, Hideo; Takai, Masanaru; Fukuchi, Akira; Maschenko, Evgeny N.; Kalmykov, Nikolai P. (September 30, 2009). "Mandible and Lower Dentition ofParailurus baikalicus(Ailuridae, Carnivora) from Transbaikal area, Russia". Paleontological Research. 13 (3): 259–264. doi:10.2517/1342-8144-13.3.259. ISSN 1342-8144.