Tapocyon robustus (peterson, 1919)
Mammalia
Carnivoramorpha
Miacidae
Eocene
Uinta Fm (Uintan)
Utah, US
Length: 1 m
Originally described from fragmentary materials from Utah, this primitive carnivore is better known from a complete skull found in Southern California, which indicates that it was close to the ancestry of modern canids (dogs, wolves, foxes and relatives). This animal was arboreal and had retractable claws like cats. Two species are recognized: T. robustus (= T. occidentalis) and T. dawsonae.
November 6, 2016
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