Protomarctus Temporal range:
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Canidae |
Subfamily: | † Borophaginae |
Tribe: | † Borophagini |
Genus: | †
Protomarctus Wang et al., 1999 |
Species: | †P. optatus
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Binomial name | |
†Protomarctus optatus Matthew, 1924
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Protomarctus is an extinct monospecific genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. They lived during the Middle Miocene 16.0—13.6 Mya, existing for approximately 2.4 million years. [1] It was an intermediate-size canid, and more predaceous than earlier borophagines. [2]
The first specimen was found in Thomson Quarry, Sheep Creek Formation, Nebraska in a Hemingfordian layer. Specimens have since been found in present-day Colorado, as far west as California and as far southwest as New Mexico. [1] They were short-faced, heavy-jawed canines.[ citation needed]