Borhyaena

{{Short description|Extinct genus of mammals}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|fossil_range = Early-Middle Miocene (Colhuehuapian-Friasian)
~{{fossil range|21.0|15.5|ref={{Cite book |last=Marshall |first=Larry G. |url=https://archive.org/details/evolutionofborhy0000mars |title=Evolution of the Borhyaenidae, extinct South American predaceous marsupials |publisher=University of California Press |year=1978 |isbn=9780520095717 |series=University of California Publications in Geological Sciences |volume=117 |pages=1–89 |url-access=registration}}}}

|image = Borhyaena tuberata.JPG

|image_caption = B. tuberata skull

|taxon = Borhyaena

|authority = Ameghino 1887

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision =

  • B. macrodonta {{small|(Ameghino 1902)}}
  • B. tuberata {{small|(Ameghino 1887)}}

| synonyms =

  • Conodonictis {{small|Ameghino 1891}}
  • Dinamictis {{small|Ameghino 1891}}
  • Pseudoborhyaena {{small|Ameghino 1902}}

}}

File:Theosodon.jpg garretorum and Borhyaena tuberata]]

Borhyaena is an extinct genus of South American metatherian, living between 17.5 and 15.5 million years ago in Patagonia, Argentina (Santa Cruz and Sarmiento Formations) and Chile (Río Frias Formation).[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=40017 Borhyaena] at Fossilworks.org

Description

Borhyaena was a predator and had a large head and a long, powerful neck similar to living hyenas. Its legs were cursorial, albeit less specialized than those of wolves or the marsupial thylacine. The most complete specimen is estimated to have weighted {{convert|23|kg|lb}} and stood {{convert|50|cm|ft|sigfig=2}} at the shoulders.{{cite journal|last1=Argot|first1=C.|title=Functional adaptations of the postcranial skeleton of two Miocene borhyaenoids (Mammalia, Metatheria), Borhyaena and Prothylacinus, from South America.|journal=Palaeontology|date=2003|volume=46|issue=6|doi=10.1046/j.0031-0239.2003.00339.x|pages=1213–1267|doi-access=free|bibcode=2003Palgy..46.1213A }}

References

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