Cladosictis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Extinct genus of South American metatherian mammals
| Cladosictis | |
|---|---|
| A lower jaw fragment of Cladosictis lustratus | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | †Sparassodonta |
| Family: | †Hathliacynidae |
| Genus: | †Cladosictis Ameghino 1887 |
| Species | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Cladosictis (meaning "branch weasel") is an extinct genus of South American metatherian from Patagonia, Argentina (Chichinales, Cerro Bandera, Sarmiento and Santa Cruz Formations) and Chile (Río Frias Formation).[1]
Description
[edit ]
Cladosictis was a fox-like creature that was around 80 centimetres (2.6 ft) long. Cladosictis probably hunted for eggs and small animals in the low undergrowth, using its low posture for cover. With sharp canines and slicing carnassials, Cladosictis's teeth were similar to those of carnivorans, although the groups were unrelated.[2]
References
[edit ]- ^ Cladosictis at Fossilworks.org
- ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. pp. 202–203. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
External links
[edit ]- Media related to Cladosictis at Wikimedia Commons
Stub icon
This article about a prehistoric marsupial is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Categories:
- Sparassodonts
- Miocene mammals of South America
- Colhuehuapian
- Santacrucian
- Friasian
- Neogene Argentina
- Fossils of Argentina
- Neogene Chile
- Fossils of Chile
- Fossil taxa described in 1887
- Taxa named by Florentino Ameghino
- Prehistoric mammal genera
- Neuquén Basin
- Cerro Bandera Formation
- Chichinales Formation
- Golfo San Jorge Basin
- Sarmiento Formation
- Austral or Magallanes Basin
- Santa Cruz Formation
- Prehistoric marsupial stubs