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Ammitocyon
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Ammitocyon
Ammitocyon is a genus of large sized carnivoran mammals, belonging to the Amphicyonidae ("bear dogs"), that lived during the Late Miocene in what is now Spain. It is notable for its extreme adaptations towards hypercarnivory, its extremely robust skeleton, and was one of the last surviving members of its family.
Ammitocyon was described in the year 2021 by Morales et al. based on comparatively complete remains, originally referred to Thaumastocyon, enabling a greater understanding of the subfamily Thaumastocyoninae, hitherto only known from fragmentary material. Holotype is the pair of hemimandibles BAT-3'09.1239 and BAT-3'08.604, which belong to the same individual. BAT-3'10.1689 (a skull with strong signs of corrosion, especially in the dorsal region, belonging to a senile individual) and BAT-3'11.453 (a complete mandible belonging to the same individual), as well as the isolated left m2 BAT-3'09.1124, have been designated as paratypes. Furthermore, postcranial remains are known and await a closer description.
The name Ammitocyon is a combination of "Ammit", an ancient Egyptian goddess, chosen as her mix of crocodile, hippopotamus, and lion features reminded the authors of the fossil species, and the Ancient Greek κύων (kúōn, "dog"). The species καινός (kainós) name also derives from Ancient Greek, and translates to "of a new kind".
The type and so far only locality of the genus is Batallones-3, part of the Cerro de los Batallones site complex located in Madrid, Spain. BAT-3 is the most recent deposit of the series, dating to the late Vallesian, MN10, dating to circa 9.1 Ma.
The Batallones are a complex of cavities, which held water even in harsh droughts, trapping herbivores that came down to drink. Their carcasses then attracted a large variety of carnivores, which then got stuck themselves. As a result, over 90% of mammalian fossils in BAT-3 are remains of carnivorans.
Ammitocyon was a lion-sized taxon, with its weight estimated at 231 kg. It is characterized by its extremely robust build, with powerful legs, almost unmatched among caniforms, and adaptations to hypercarnivory. Its chin and muzzle are sturdy, and its snout is huge, with a wide nasal aperture. The dentition is sectorial. The reduction of its premolars, typical for thamastocyonines, is taken to an extreme - it has completely lost P2/P3 and p1-3, as well as its third molars (M3 and m3).
It possesses a premaxilla more robust than that found in Magericyon. Both the frontal and jugal possess well-developed postorbital processes, resulting in a relatively large eye socket, which is more enclosed than that of similarly sized arctoid carnivorans. The Bulla is large and somewhat inflated and the sagittal crest well-developed and convex, stretching from the post-orbital constriction to the nuchal crests.
Like in Ysengrinia americana and some temnocynines the palate is cadually expanded beyond the molars. The mandible is long and robust, with strong symphysis, it is dorsoventrally slender between the canine and p4, and buccolingually thick under m1 and m2. In typical amphicyonids, including thaumastocyonines, the depth of masseteric fossa surpasses basal level of postcanine row, while in Ammitocyon it does not exceed the depth of margo alveolaris. A relatively deep rim encloses it completely in its ventral region, separating the fossa from the unique flat region in a premasseteric position. Another unique feature is the broad concavity in the ventral margin, extending from the genial tuberosity to the mesial base of the ascending ramus.
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Ammitocyon
Ammitocyon is a genus of large sized carnivoran mammals, belonging to the Amphicyonidae ("bear dogs"), that lived during the Late Miocene in what is now Spain. It is notable for its extreme adaptations towards hypercarnivory, its extremely robust skeleton, and was one of the last surviving members of its family.
Ammitocyon was described in the year 2021 by Morales et al. based on comparatively complete remains, originally referred to Thaumastocyon, enabling a greater understanding of the subfamily Thaumastocyoninae, hitherto only known from fragmentary material. Holotype is the pair of hemimandibles BAT-3'09.1239 and BAT-3'08.604, which belong to the same individual. BAT-3'10.1689 (a skull with strong signs of corrosion, especially in the dorsal region, belonging to a senile individual) and BAT-3'11.453 (a complete mandible belonging to the same individual), as well as the isolated left m2 BAT-3'09.1124, have been designated as paratypes. Furthermore, postcranial remains are known and await a closer description.
The name Ammitocyon is a combination of "Ammit", an ancient Egyptian goddess, chosen as her mix of crocodile, hippopotamus, and lion features reminded the authors of the fossil species, and the Ancient Greek κύων (kúōn, "dog"). The species καινός (kainós) name also derives from Ancient Greek, and translates to "of a new kind".
The type and so far only locality of the genus is Batallones-3, part of the Cerro de los Batallones site complex located in Madrid, Spain. BAT-3 is the most recent deposit of the series, dating to the late Vallesian, MN10, dating to circa 9.1 Ma.
The Batallones are a complex of cavities, which held water even in harsh droughts, trapping herbivores that came down to drink. Their carcasses then attracted a large variety of carnivores, which then got stuck themselves. As a result, over 90% of mammalian fossils in BAT-3 are remains of carnivorans.
Ammitocyon was a lion-sized taxon, with its weight estimated at 231 kg. It is characterized by its extremely robust build, with powerful legs, almost unmatched among caniforms, and adaptations to hypercarnivory. Its chin and muzzle are sturdy, and its snout is huge, with a wide nasal aperture. The dentition is sectorial. The reduction of its premolars, typical for thamastocyonines, is taken to an extreme - it has completely lost P2/P3 and p1-3, as well as its third molars (M3 and m3).
It possesses a premaxilla more robust than that found in Magericyon. Both the frontal and jugal possess well-developed postorbital processes, resulting in a relatively large eye socket, which is more enclosed than that of similarly sized arctoid carnivorans. The Bulla is large and somewhat inflated and the sagittal crest well-developed and convex, stretching from the post-orbital constriction to the nuchal crests.
Like in Ysengrinia americana and some temnocynines the palate is cadually expanded beyond the molars. The mandible is long and robust, with strong symphysis, it is dorsoventrally slender between the canine and p4, and buccolingually thick under m1 and m2. In typical amphicyonids, including thaumastocyonines, the depth of masseteric fossa surpasses basal level of postcanine row, while in Ammitocyon it does not exceed the depth of margo alveolaris. A relatively deep rim encloses it completely in its ventral region, separating the fossa from the unique flat region in a premasseteric position. Another unique feature is the broad concavity in the ventral margin, extending from the genial tuberosity to the mesial base of the ascending ramus.