Archaeocyon ("ancient dog") is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lived during the Oligocene epoch 32-24 Ma.,[1][2] existing for approximately 8 million years. Species of Archaeocyon are among the earliest known borophagines, although a species of Otarocyon has a slightly earlier first appearance. Fossils have been found across the northern Great Plains and along the west coast of North America.[2]
Life restoration
Archaeocyon was a comparatively small and unspecialized dog. Its dentition (teeth) suggests a slightly more hypocarnivorous (omnivorous) diet than the otherwise similar Hesperocyon. The skeleton is also generalized, lacking specializations for running and retaining a plantigrade foot posture.
A few derived features of the dentition support a relationship to Borophaginae and Caninae (the subfamily that includes living canids), rather than to the basal canid subfamily Hesperocyoninae. The temporal position of Archaeocyon suggests an affinity to borophagines because the first members of Caninae appear substantially earlier.[3]
^PaleoBiology Database: Archaeocyon Taxonomy, Species
^ abWang, Xiaoming; Tedford, Richard H. (2008). Dogs, Their Fossil Relatives and Evolutionary History. Columbia. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-231-13528-3.
^Wang, X., R.H. Tedford, and B.E. Taylor. 1999. Phylogenetic systematics of the Borophaginae (Carnivora, Canidae). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 243:1-391.
Archaeocyon ("ancient dog") is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lived during the Oligocene epoch 32-24...
Hesperocyoninae. The earliest and most primitive borophagine is the genus Archaeocyon, which is a small fox-sized animal mostly found in the fossil beds in...
members of the Hesperocyonines, the genus Hesperocyon, gave rise to Archaeocyon and Leptocyon. These branches led to the borophagine and canine radiations...
can still be distinguished from more primitive borophagines such as Archaeocyon, Rhizocyon, and Cynarctoides. Characters placing it in Phlaocyon includes...
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images Archaeocyon A. pavidus Picture Gorge 30, Blue Basin level 1. Turtle Cove Member....
6.5 million years. Rhizocyon was similar to a contemporary species, Archaeocyon leptodus, from the Great Plains, but it shows a few subtle differences...
known member of the subfamily Borophaginae, although the later appearing Archaeocyon was more primitive. PaleoBiology Database: Otarocyon Taxonomy, Species...
species Arbacia †Arbacia abiquaensis – type locality for species †Archaeocyon †Archaeocyon pavidus †Archaeohippus †Archaeohippus ultimus †Archaeolagus †Archaeolagus...
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