Paradaphoenus is a physically small member of the extinct 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 terrestrial

Terrestrial animal

Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...

 carnivore

Carnivore

A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...

s belonging to the suborder Caniformia

Caniformia

Caniformia, or Canoidea , is a suborder within the order Carnivora. They typically possess a long snout and non-retractile claws . The Pinnipedia evolved from caniform ancestors and are accordingly assigned to this group...

, family Amphicyonidae ("bear dog"), and which inhabited 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...

 from the Early Oligocene subepoch to the Early Miocene

Early Miocene

The Early Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages....

 subepoch living 33.9—16.3 Ma, existing for approximately .

Taxonomy

Paradaphoenus was named by Wortman and Matthew (1899) and was assigned to Daphoeninae by Hunt (1998); and to Amphicyonidae by Wortman and Matthew (1899), Carroll (1988) and Hunt (2001).

Morphology

A single specimen was measured by Legendre and Roth in 1988 and estimated mass was 1.89 kg (4.1 lbs).

Fossil distribution

Haystack, Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

, Banner County, Nebraska

Banner County, Nebraska

Banner County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The population was 690 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Harrisburg.Banner County is part of the Scottsbluff, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area....

, Dawes County, Nebraska

Dawes County, Nebraska

-National protected areas:*Nebraska National Forest *Oglala National Grassland *Pine Ridge National Recreation Area-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,060 people, 3,512 households, and 2,086 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile...

, Sheep Mtn, South Dakota

South Dakota

South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...

.

Species

P. cuspigerus (synonymous with Amphicyon entoptychi), P. minimus, P. tooheyi

Sister genera

Afrocyon

Afrocyon

Afrocyon is an extinct genus of large, mostly carnivorous bone-crushing mammals known as bear dogs, of the family Amphicyonidae endemic to Africa during the Miocene to Pliocene living from 11.6—5.3 Ma and existed for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Amphicyanis

Amphicyanis

Amphicyanis is an extinct genus of terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia, family Amphicyonidae , and which inhabited Euroasia and North America....

, Arctamphicyon, Brachycyon

Brachycyon

Brachycyon is an extinct genus of terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia, family Amphicyonidae , and which inhabited Euroasia and North America. Brachycyon was named by Filhol...

, Cynodictis

Cynodictis

Cynodictis, is a member of extinct terrestrial carnivores belonging to the family Amphicyonidae, suborder Caniformia, and which inhabited Euroasia and Asia from the Late Eocene subepoch to the Early Oligocene subepoch living from 37.2—28.4 Ma, existing for approximately .Cynodictis was one of the...

, Drassonax

Drassonax

Drassonax is an extinct genus of small, weasel-like bear dogs, of the family Amphicyonidae endemic to North America during the Oligocene living from 33.9—33.3 Ma and existed for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Goupilictis, Guangxicyon

Guangxicyon

Guangxicyon is an extinct genus of terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia, family Amphicyonidae , and which inhabited Central Asia from the Late Eocene subepoch to the Late Miocene subepoch 37—33 Ma, existing for approximately .Guangxicyon was named by Zhai et al. in 2003. Its...

, Haplocyon

Haplocyon

Haplocyon is an extinct genus of terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia, family Amphicyonidae named by Schlosser in 1901.-Sister genera:...

, Haplocyonoides

Haplocyonoides

Haplocyonoides is an extinct family of terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia, family Amphicyonidae , and which inhabited Europe from the Early Miocene subepoch —...

, Haplocyonopsis

Haplocyonopsis

Haplocyonopsis is an extinct genus of terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia, family Amphicyonidae .Haplocyonopsis was named by de Bonis and was assigned to Amphicyonidae by Carroll .-Sister genera:...

, Harpagophagus

Harpagophagus

Harpagophagus is an extinct genus of large, mostly carnivorous bone-crushing mammals known as bear dogs, of the family Amphicyonidae endemic to Europe during the Oligocene living from 33.9—23.03 Ma and existed for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Ictiocyon

Ictiocyon

Ictiocyon is an extinct genus of large, mostly carnivorous bone-crushing mammals known as bear dogs, of the family Amphicyonidae endemic to Asia during the Miocene living from 23.03—15.97 Ma and existed for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Pachycynodon, Protemnocyon, Pseudamphicyon

Pseudamphicyon

Pseudamphicyon is a member of the extinct family Amphicyonidae of terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia.Pseudamphicyon was named Schlosser in 1899 and was assigned to Amphicyonidae by Carroll .-Sister genera:...

, Pseudarctos

Pseudarctos

Pseudarctos is a member of the extinct family Amphicyonidae of terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia, and which inhabited Euroasia from the Early Miocene subepoch to the Miocene epoch 16.9—11.1 Ma, existing for approximately ....

, Pseudocyonopsis

Pseudocyonopsis

Pseudocyonopsis is a member of the extinct family Amphicyonidae, a terrestrial carnivore belonging to the order Caniformia.Pseudocyonopsis was named by Kuss in 1965 and was assigned to Amphicyonidae by Carroll .-Sister genera:...

, Sarcocyon, Symplectocyon, Vishnucyon