Theriodictis

Theriodictis is an extinct genus of hypercarnivorous wolf-like canid endemic to South America during the Pleistocene, living from 1.2 Ma- 500,000 years ago and existing for approximately 0.7 million years.

Fossil distribution

The fossil remains are confined to the Tarija Formation of Bolivia, the Chui Formation of southern Brazil, and the Yupoí Formation of northern Argentina. The species T. tarijensis was transferred to the genus Protocyon upon phylogenetic analysis.

Description

It was a large sized canid; body weight for adult specimens of Theriodictis platensis has been estimated at around 30 to 40 kg. The dental diagnostic trait is found in the hypocone of M1 which is reduced in comparison with that of other genera.

Paleoecology

Prey is thought to have included ungulate camelids (e.g. guanaco), cervids (e.g. Epieurycerus and Antifer), equids (e.g. Equus and Hippidion), peccaries (e.g. Catagonus), giant rodents (e.g. Neochoerus), mesotherids (e.g. the burrowing Mesotherium), and giant cingulates (e.g. Eutatus, Propraopus and Pampatherium).

References

1. Cerdocyonina
2. Canini (tribe)
3. Protocyon
4. Arctotherium
5. Glyptodon
6. Caninae
7. Antifer
8. Leptocyon
9. Great American Interchange
10. IUCN Red List of extinct species
11. Archaeocyon
12. Carpocyon
13. South American land mammal age
14. Mesocyon
15. Paraenhydrocyon
16. Oxetocyon
17. Enhydrocyon
18. Otarocyon
19. Osbornodon iamonensis
20. Tephrocyon