Nimravidae Totally Explained

Everything about Nimravidae totally explained

The Nimravidae, sometimes known as False sabre-tooths, are an extinct family of mammalian carnivores. Although some Nimravids physically resembled the sabre-toothed cats of genus Smilodon, they were not closely related, but evolved a similar form through parallel evolution.
   Previously classified as subfamily of Nimravidae, the barbourofelines have been recently assigned to their own distinct family Barbourofelidae (Morlo et al 2004).
   The ancestors of the Nimravids and cats diverged from their common ancestor, from the Caniformia-Feliformia split, in the middle Eocene about 50 million years ago (mya), with a minimum constraint of 43 mya. Recognizable Nimravid fossils date from the late Eocene (37 mya), from the Chadronian White River Formation at Flagstaff Rim, Wyoming, to the late Miocene (5 mya). Nimravid diversity appears to have peaked about 28 mya. Most had muscular, low-slung, catlike bodies, with shorter legs and tails than typical of cats.
   The Nimravids are placed in tribes by some authors to reflect closer relationships in genera within the family. Some Nimravids did evolve into large toothed cats with massive flattened upper canines and accompanying mandibular flanges. Others had dentition similar to the Neofelids or modern cats with smaller canines. Others did have moderately increased canines in a more intermediate relationship between the saber-toothed cats and Neofelids. Not only were the upper canines shorter than the true saber-toothed cats but were more conical. These are referred to as being False sabre-tooths.
   Not only did the Nimravids exhibit diverse dentition but also showed the same diversity in size and morphology as the Neofelids. Some were leopard sized, others the size of today's lions and tigers, and one with the short face, rounded skull and smaller canines as the modern cheetah.

Classification

Family: Nimravidae

Subfamily Nimravinae
- Genus: Dinictis
- Genus: Dinaelurus
  - Dinaelurus crassus
- Genus: Dinailurictis
  - Dinailurictis bonali
- Genus: Eofelis
- Genus: Nimravides
  - Nimravides pedionomus
- Genus: Nimravus
- Genus: Pogonodon
  - Pogonodon davisi
  - Pogonodon platycopis
- Genus: Quercylurus
  - Quercylurus major
- Subfamily Hoplophoninae
  - Genus: Eusmilis
  - Genus: Hoplophoneus

Further Information

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