Megacyon Explained

Megacyon merriami, or Merriam's dog, was a prehistoric canid that lived on the island of Java in Indonesia during the Early Pleistocene. Its scientific name means "Merriam's large dog".

Description

Megacyon was relatively larged sized, with an estimated body mass of around NaNkg (-2,147,483,648lb), comparable to a grey wolf. In comparison to its ancestor Xenocyon, the hypocone on the teeth was larger.^[1]

Ecology

Megacyon is thought to have been a hypercarnivore that preyed on large-sized prey such as deer.

Taxonomy and evolution

Megacyon is thought to have evolved from mainland species of Xenocyon, with Megacyon being even larger than mainland Xenocyon species. Some authors have subsumed Megacyon into Xenocyon. Megacyon is thought to be the ancestor of the much smaller Mececyon known from younger deposits on Java. Megacyon are currently around the 49-54 kilogram size range due to their evolution and niche overlapping with tigers. As tigers and Megacyon had a 100% niche overlap, Megacyon evolved to be smaller in size in order to avoid this niche overlap for the species survival.

References

Schutt, 1973. Pleistozane Caniden (Carnivora, Mammalia) aus Java. Verhandelingen Koninklijke Akademie van der Wetenschappen (Series B), 76: 446–71.
Lyras G.A., Van der Geer A.A.E., Rook L., 2010. Body size of insular carnivores: evidence from the fossil record. Journal of Biogeography, 37 (6): 1007–21.
Volmer, Rebekka, et al. “Niche Overlap and Competition Potential among Tigers (Panthera Tigris), Sabertoothed Cats (Homotherium Ultimum, Hemimachairodus Zwierzyckii) and Merriam’s Dog (Megacyon Merriami) in the Pleistocene of Java.” Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, vol. 441, 2016, pp. 901–11.

Notes and References

van der Geer . Alexandra A.E. . Lyras . George A. . Volmer . Rebekka . October 2018 . Insular dwarfism in canids on Java (Indonesia) and its implication for the environment of Homo erectus during the Early and earliest Middle Pleistocene . Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology . en . 507 . 168–179 . 10.1016/j.palaeo.2018.07.009. 134585999 .