Agriotherium
Encyclopedia
Agriotherium is an extinct genus of Ursidae of the Miocene
through Pleistocene
epochs, endemic to North America
, Europe
, Africa
, and Asia
living from ~13.6–2.5 Ma, existing for approximately .
by Qiu et al. (1991); to Ursavini
by Hunt (1998); to Ursidae by Wagner (1837), Carroll (1988) and Salesa et al. (2006), and Ursinae
by Krause et al. 2008.
and Arctotherium
, Agriotherium was along with the short-faced bear, Arctodus simus the largest member of terrestrial Carnivora
. It had dog-like crushing teeth. Its primary diet was carnivorous and secondary was omnivorous possibly classifying this animal as mesocarnivore
. With a body mass greater than most large ungulate
s (horses, bovines, camelids, and rhinoceroses), it is probable that Agrotherium could have preyed on these.
Agriotherium ranged widely; fossils of four or more species have been found in Europe
, India
, China
, North America
and South Africa
. It is the only ursoid known to have colonized sub-Saharan Africa
(amphicyonid "bear dog
s" also reached the area).
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
through Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
epochs, endemic to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
living from ~13.6–2.5 Ma, existing for approximately .
Taxonomy
Agriotherium was named by Wagner (1837). It was assigned to Agriotheriini by Chorn and Hoffman (1978); to HemicyoninaeHemicyoninae
Hemicyoninae is an extinct subfamily of bear-like mammals of the family Ursidae endemic to North America and Europe during Oligocene through Miocene, living from ~33.9—7.2 Ma, existing for approximately ....
by Qiu et al. (1991); to Ursavini
Ursavini
Ursavini is an extinct tribe of mammals of the family Ursidae endemic to North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia during Miocene through Pliocene, living from ~23—2.5 Ma, existing for approximately ....
by Hunt (1998); to Ursidae by Wagner (1837), Carroll (1988) and Salesa et al. (2006), and Ursinae
Ursinae
Ursinae is a subfamily of Ursidae named by Swainson though probably named before Hunt 1998. It was assigned to Ursidae by Bjork , Hunt and Jin et al...
by Krause et al. 2008.
Morphology
Agriotherium was about 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) in body length, making it larger than most living bears. Except for the extinct subspecies of modern polar bear Ursus maritimus tyrannusUrsus maritimus tyrannus
Ursus maritimus tyrannus was a very large fossil subspecies of polar bear, descended from an Arctic population of brown bears. Its name in Latin means tyrant sea bear. The species is mentioned by Björn Kurtén, who assigned it to a Polar bear subspecies, U. m. tyrannus. Its bones have been found in...
and Arctotherium
Arctotherium
Arctotherium is an extinct genus of South American short-faced bears within Ursidae of the late Pliocene through the end of the Pleistocene. Their ancestors migrated from North America to South America during the Great American Interchange, following the formation of the Isthmus of Panama. They...
, Agriotherium was along with the short-faced bear, Arctodus simus the largest member of terrestrial Carnivora
Carnivora
The diverse order Carnivora |Latin]] carō "flesh", + vorāre "to devour") includes over 260 species of placental mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal...
. It had dog-like crushing teeth. Its primary diet was carnivorous and secondary was omnivorous possibly classifying this animal as mesocarnivore
Mesocarnivore
A mesocarnivore is an animal whose diet consists of 50–70% meat with the balance consisting of nonvertebrate foods which may include fungi, fruits, and other plant material...
. With a body mass greater than most large ungulate
Ungulate
Ungulates are several groups of mammals, most of which use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving. They make up several orders of mammals, of which six to eight survive...
s (horses, bovines, camelids, and rhinoceroses), it is probable that Agrotherium could have preyed on these.
Body mass
Two specimens were examined by Legendre and Roth for body mass.- Specimen 1: 79.3 kg (174.8 lb)
- Specimen 2: 652.6 kg (1,438.7 lb)
Fossil distribution
Sites and age of specimens:- American Cyanimid Company site, Bone Valley Formation, Polk County, FloridaPolk County, FloridaPolk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
~13.7—11.6 Ma. - Venta del Moro, SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
~9–5.3 Ma. - Lang. E Quarry, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
~5.3–3.6 Ma. - Carlin High Quarry, Elko County, NevadaElko County, Nevada-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 45,291 people, 15,638 households, and 11,493 families residing in the county. The population density was 3/sq mi . There were 18,456 housing units at an average density of 1/sq mi...
~23–5.3 Ma. - Vialette, Haute Loire, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
~3.2–2.5 Ma. - Middle Awash, EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
~11.6–3.6 Ma.
Agriotherium ranged widely; fossils of four or more species have been found in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is the only ursoid known to have colonized sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
(amphicyonid "bear dog
Bear dog
Amphicyonidae is an extinct family of large terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia and which inhabited North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa from the Middle Eocene subepoch to the Pleistocene epoch 46.2—1.8 Mya, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:Amphicyonidae was named...
s" also reached the area).