The borhyaenids, members of the Borhyaenidae family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 of metatheria

Metatheria

Metatheria is a grouping within the animal class Mammalia. First proposed by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1880, it is nearly synonymous with the earlier taxon Marsupialia though it is slightly wider since it also contains the nearest fossil relatives of marsupial mammals.The earliest known...

ns (probably not true marsupial

Marsupial

Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...

s, but sister taxa to them; see Sparassodonta

Sparassodonta

Sparassodonta is an extinct order of carnivorous metatherian mammals native to South America. They were once considered to be true marsupials, but are now thought to be a sister taxon to them. A number of these mammalian predators closely resemble placental predators that evolved separately on...

), were a carnivorous group of otter

Otter

The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....

/wolverine

Wolverine

The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...

-shaped marsupials in the order Sparassodonta

Sparassodonta

Sparassodonta is an extinct order of carnivorous metatherian mammals native to South America. They were once considered to be true marsupials, but are now thought to be a sister taxon to them. A number of these mammalian predators closely resemble placental predators that evolved separately on...

. They lived in the Miocene

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...

 of South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

 . Like most metatherians, they had a pouch to carry their offspring around. Borhyaenids had strong and powerful jaws, like those of Hyaenodon

Hyaenodon

Hyaenodon is an extinct genus of Hyaenodonts, a group of carnivorous creodonts of the family Hyaenodontidae endemic to all continents except South America, Australia and Antarctica, living from 42—15.9 mya, existing for approximately .-Morphology:Some species of this genus were amongst the largest...

and Andrewsarchus, for crushing bones. They grew up to 5 or 6 feet long. Borhyaena

Borhyaena

Borhyaena is an extinct genus of South American metatherian, living between 20 and 15 million years ago.Borhyaena was a large, bear-like marsupial predator of up to long and with an estimated average weight of . A typical borhyaenid, it had flat feet and a heavy build...

was a member of this group. Today, the Tasmanian Devil

Tasmanian Devil

The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, now found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania. The size of a small dog, it became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936...

, a scavenging marsupial from Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...

, most resembles them.

Classification

• †Family Borhyaenidae
  • †Genus Nemolestes
    • †Nemolestes spalacotherinus
  • †Genus Argyrolestes
  • †Genus Angelocabrerus
  • †Genus Pharsophorus
  • †Genus Borhyaena
    Borhyaena
    Borhyaena is an extinct genus of South American metatherian, living between 20 and 15 million years ago.Borhyaena was a large, bear-like marsupial predator of up to long and with an estimated average weight of . A typical borhyaenid, it had flat feet and a heavy build...
    
    
    • †Borhyaena tuberata
    • †Borhyaena macrodonta
  • †Genus Pseudoborhyaena
  • †Genus Acrocyon
  • †Genus Conodonictis
  • †Genus Eutemnodus
  • †Genus Parahyaenodon