A Well-Preserved Skeleton Reveals the Ecology and Evolution of Early Carnivorous Mammals
Monday, December 14, 2015 - 16:50
in Paleontology & Archaeology
Prior to the rise of modern-day mammalian carnivores, North America was dominated by a now-extinct group of mammalian carnivores -- the hyaenodontids. While fossils of hyaenodontids are relatively common from the early Eocene Epoch -- between 50 million and 55 million years ago -- most of these are specimens of teeth. A new find of a nearly complete skeleton has allowed for a more detailed study of the ecology and evolutionary relationships of these early carnivores.