Protepicyon is an extinct genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of the 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...

 Borophaginae

Borophaginae

The subfamily Borophaginae is an extinct group of canids called "bone crushing dogs" that were endemic to North America during the Oligocene to Pliocene and lived roughly 36—2.5 million years ago and existing for approximately .-Origin:...

 which lived during the Barstovian

Barstovian

The Barstovian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology , typically set from 16,300,000 to 13,600,000 years BP, a period of . It is usually considered to overlap the Langhian and Serravallian...

 stage of the Middle Miocene

Middle Miocene

The Middle Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Langhian and Serravallian stages. The Middle Miocene is preceded by the Early Miocene....

 subepoch living 16.3—13.6 mya, existing for approximately .

It was named by Wang in 1999 and assigned to Borophagina by Wang et al that same year. The fossil distribution is represented by one find in California.

Taxonomy

Protepicyon was named by Wang et al. (1999). Its type is Protepicyon raki. It was assigned to Borophagina by Wang et al. (1999).

Morphology

Two specimens were examined by Legendre and Roth for body mass. The first specimen was estimated to weigh 36.4 kg (80.2 lb). The second specimen was estimated to weigh 32.2 kg (71 lb).

Sister genera

Borophagus

Borophagus

Borophagus is an extinct genus of the subfamily Borophaginae, a group of canids endemic to North America from the early Miocene epoch through the Zanclean stage of the Pliocene epoch 23.3—3.6 Mya. Borophagus existed for approximately .-Overview:Borophagus, like other borophagines, are loosely...

 (synonymous with Hyaenognathus, Osteoborus, Pliogulo, Porthocyon), Carpocyon

Carpocyon

Carpocyon is an extinct member of the Borophaginae, and a terrestrial canine which inhabited most of North America during the Barstovian stage of the Middle Miocene through the Hemphillian stage of the Late Miocene epoch 20.4—3.9 Mya. Carpocyon existed for approximately .-Taxonomy:Carpocyon was...

, Epicyon

Epicyon

Epicyon is a large extinct canid genus of the subfamily Borophaginae , native to North America. It lived from the Hemingfordian age of the Early Miocene to the Hemphillian of the Late Miocene Epicyon ("near dog") is a large extinct canid genus of the subfamily Borophaginae ("bone-crushing dogs"),...

, Paratomarctus

Paratomarctus

Paratomarctus an extinct member of the Borophaginae, subtribe Borophagina, a terrestrial canine which inhabited most of North America from the Harrisonian stage to Early Barstovian stage of the Miocene epoch living 16.3—5.3 mya, existed for approximately .-Canid competitors:Paratomarctus was one...

Sources

• zipcodezoo.com
• serials.cib.unibo.it
• calphotos.berkeley.edu
• Flynn, J.J., 1998. Early Cenozoic Carnivora ("Miacoidea"). pages 648-651 in C.M. Janis, K.M. Scott, and L.L. Jacobs (eds.) Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America. Volume 1: Terrestrial Carnivores, Ungulates, and Ungulatelike Mammals. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 0-521-35519-2
• The Biology and Conservation of Wild Canids by David W. Macdonald, and Claudio Sillero-Zubiri; published Published 2004 (Oxford University Press). Page 40, ISBN 0198515553