Parailurus Explained
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] [2]
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.[3]
A third species, Parailurus tedfordi, was described in 2022.[4]
Further reading
- Book: 10.1016/B978-1-4377-7813-7.00005-7 . Phenotypic and Geographic Diversity of the Lesser Panda Parailurus . Red Panda . 2011 . Kundrát . Martin . 61–87 . 9781437778137 . 89029827 .
Notes and References
- Book: Goswami . Anjali . Friscia . Anthony . July 2010 . Carnivoran Evolution: New Views on Phylogeny, Form and Function . Cambridge University Press . 117–119 . 978-0-521-51529-0.
- Fejfar . Oldřich . Sabol . Martin . April 2004 . Pliocene Carnivores (Carnivora, Mammalia) from Ivanovce and Hajnáčka (Slovakia) . . 246 . 15–53 . 17 March 2023.
- Ogino. Shintaro. Nakaya. Hideo. Takai. Masanaru. Fukuchi. Akira. Maschenko. Evgeny N.. Kalmykov. Nikolai P.. September 30, 2009. Mandible and Lower Dentition of Parailurus baikalicus (Ailuridae, Carnivora) from Transbaikal area, Russia. Paleontological Research. en-US. 13. 3. 259–264. 10.2517/1342-8144-13.3.259. 86244485 . 1342-8144.
- Book: Wallace. Steven C.. Lyon. Lauren M.. Red Panda. Systematic revision of the Ailurinae (Mammalia: Carnivora: Ailuridae): With a new species from North America. 2022. 31–52. 10.1016/B978-0-12-823753-3.00011-9. 9780128237533. 243818007.
