Phlaocyon minor explained

Phlaocyon minor is an extinct species of canid mammal known from the Miocene-Oligocene (Arikareean NALMA, more than)^[1] of the United States (Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Texas.)^[2]

The type specimen of P. minor is a partial maxilla, a partial dentary, and limb fragments found in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota (: paleocoordinates).^[3] referred half a dozen other specimens to P. minor, including a nearly complete skull and a mandible from Wyoming.

P. minor is the most basal member of Phlaocyon but it can still be distinguished from more primitive borophagines such as Archaeocyon, Rhizocyon, and Cynarctoides. Characters placing it in Phlaocyon includes robust and shortened premolars, a quadrate first upper molar, and widened talonid on the first lower molar. Characters unique to P. minor include the double temporal crests and the elongated lower second molar.

References

Sources

• Cook. H. J.. Macdonald. J. R.. New Carnivora from the Miocene and Pliocene of western Nebraska. 1962. J. Paleontol.. 36. 3. 560–567. 1301088.
• Matthew. W. D.. William Diller Matthew. A lower Miocene fauna from South Dakota. 1907. Bulletin of the AMNH. 23. 169–219. 2246/1483.
• Wang. X.. Xiaoming Wang (paleontologist). Tedford. R. H.. Richard H. Tedford. Taylor. B. E.. Phylogenetic systematics of the Borophaginae (Carnivora, Canidae). 1999. Bulletin of the AMNH. 243. 2246/1588.
• White. T. E.. Additions to the Miocene fauna of Florida. 1941. Proceedings of the New England Zoölogical Club. 18. 91–98. 78956100.
• Wood. H. E.. Wood. A. E.. Mid-Tertiary vertebrates from the Texas coastal plain: fact and fable. 1937. American Midland Naturalist. 18. 1. 129–146. 25422025. 2420623. 10.2307/2420623.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Arikareean. Fossilworks. 17 December 2021.
2. Web site: Phlaocyon minor. Fossilworks. 17 December 2021.
3. Web site: AMNH Rosebud 22 (of the United States). Fossilworks. 17 December 2021.