Barbourofelidae | |
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Barbourofelis loveorum skeleton | |
Scientific Classification | |
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Mammalia |
Order | Carnivora |
Family | †Barbourofelidae |
The Barbourofelidae is an extinct family of the mammalian order Carnivora of the suborder Feliformia that lived in North America, Eurasia and Africa during the Miocene epoch (16.9—9.0 Ma) and existed for about 7.9 million years.
Barbourofelidae were previously classified as a subfamily of the extinct Nimravidae, but are now thought to be taxonomically closer to the Felidae than to the Nimravidae. Barbourofelids first appear in the fossil record in the Early Miocene of Africa. By the end of the Early Miocene, a land bridge had opened between Africa and Eurasia, allowing for a faunal exchange between the two continents. Barbourofelids migrated at least three times from Africa to Europe.
Genus Ginsburgsmilus, Prosansanosmilus, Sansanosmilus and Barbourofelis[]
Ginsburgsmilus is an extinct genus of carnivorous mammal of the family Barbourofelidae that was endemic to Africa during the early Miocene. There is only one known specimen of Ginsburgsmilus napakensis, dated to 20-19 mya.
Prosansanosmilus is an extinct genus of mammalian carnivores of the suborder Feliformia, family Barbourofelidae, which lived in Europe during the Miocene epoch (16.9—16.0 mya), existing for approximately 0.9 million years.
Sansanosmilus is an extinct genus of carnivorous mammal of the family Barbourofelidae endemic to Europe and Asia, which lived during the Miocene, 13.6—11.1 mya, existing for approximately 2.5 million years.
Barbourofelis is an extinct genus of large, mostly carnivorous, mammals of the family Barbourofelidae. The genus was endemic to North America during the Miocene, living from 13.6—5.3 Ma and existing for approximately 8.3 million years. Thought to be lion-sized, it had the longest canines of all barbourofelids. It had a very robust constitution; the largest individuals of B. fricki are thought to have weighed up to 380 kg (829 lbs). They had very prominent flanges on the lower jaws and an unusually shaped skull. The barbourofelids were probably very muscular, resembling a bear-like lion or lion-like bear. Although the nimravid family did evolve into cat-like forms, they left no descendents among modern cats.
Genera[]
Genus †Ginsburgsmilus
†Ginsburgsmilus napakensis
Genus †Afrosmilus
†Afrosmilus turkanae
†Afrosmilus africanus
†Afrosmilus hispanicus
Genus †Prosansanosmilus
†Prosansanosmilus peregrinus
†Prosansanosmilus eggeri
Genus †Sansanosmilus
†Sansanosmilus palmidens
†Sansanosmilus jourdani
†Sansanosmilus vallesiensis
†Sansanosmilus piveteaui
Genus †Syrtosmilus
†Syrtosmilus syrtensis
Genus †Vampyrictis
†Vampyrictis vipera
Genus †Barbourofelis
†Barbourofelis whitfordi
†Barbourofelis loveorum
†Barbourofelis morrisi
†Barbourofelis fricki
†Barbourofelis osborni
†Barbourofelis piveteaui
†Barbourofelis vallensiensis