Hemicyoninae | |
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Hemicyon sansaniensis | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Ursidae |
Subfamily: | †
Hemicyoninae Frick, 1926 |
Tribes and genera | |
|
Hemicyoninae is an extinct subfamily of Ursidae, [2] [1] often called dog bears (literally "half dog" ( Greek: ἡμικυων hemi-kyōn)). They were bear-like carnivorans living in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia during the Oligocene through Miocene epochs 33.9–5.3 Ma, existing for approximately 28.6 million years. They are sometimes classified as a separate family. [3]
The hemicyonines consists of three tribes: the Cephalogalini, Phoberocyonini, and Hemicyonini. In the past the hemicyonines were evaluated into family level (Hemicyonidae). [3] However the vast majority of papers and researchers that cover the evolution of bears often classified them as an extinct subfamily of ursids or stem-bears. [4] [5] The genus Agriotherium was once classified as a hemicyonine [3] but recent work has shown the genus is a crown-ursid. [6]
Hemicyoninae | |
---|---|
| |
Hemicyon sansaniensis | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Ursidae |
Subfamily: | †
Hemicyoninae Frick, 1926 |
Tribes and genera | |
|
Hemicyoninae is an extinct subfamily of Ursidae, [2] [1] often called dog bears (literally "half dog" ( Greek: ἡμικυων hemi-kyōn)). They were bear-like carnivorans living in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia during the Oligocene through Miocene epochs 33.9–5.3 Ma, existing for approximately 28.6 million years. They are sometimes classified as a separate family. [3]
The hemicyonines consists of three tribes: the Cephalogalini, Phoberocyonini, and Hemicyonini. In the past the hemicyonines were evaluated into family level (Hemicyonidae). [3] However the vast majority of papers and researchers that cover the evolution of bears often classified them as an extinct subfamily of ursids or stem-bears. [4] [5] The genus Agriotherium was once classified as a hemicyonine [3] but recent work has shown the genus is a crown-ursid. [6]