Mesocyon ("middle dog") is an extinct genus of the Hesperocyoninae subfamily of early canids native to North America. It lived from the Oligocene to Early Miocene, 30.3—20.3 Ma, existing for approximately 10 million years.[1] Fossils are known from Oregon, southern California and the northern Great Plains. It was roughly coyote-sized, and the first known canid to have a primarily meat-based diet.[2]

Restoration of Mesocyon (right) and other animals from the Turtle Cove Formation

References

  1. ^ Mesocyon at fossilworks
  2. ^ Wang, Xiaoming; Tedford, Richard H. (2008). Dogs, Their Fossil Relatives and Evolutionary History. Columbia. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-231-13528-3.


Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesocyon
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