Proteles amplidentus
{{Short description|Extinct species of hyena}}
{{Speciesbox
| fossil_range = Late Pliocene – Early Pleistocene
| extinct = yes
| genus = Proteles
| species = amplidentus
| authority = Werdelin & Solounias, 1991
| synonyms = Proteles transvaalensis Hendey, 1974
}}
Proteles amplidentus is an extinct species of prehistoric hyena closely related to the living aardwolf. It lived during the Plio-Pleistocene in South Africa, where fossils have been found in the Swartkrans dated to as recently as 1.5 million years ago.{{cite book |last1=Kingdon |first1=Jonathan |title=Mammals of Africa: Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses |date=2014 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=9781408189948 |page=282}} Proteles amplidentus has additionally been found in the Kromdraai fossil site.Werdelin, Lars; Solounias, Nikos. (1991-05-31). [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280234451_The_Hyaenidae_taxonomy_systematics_and_evolution "The Hyaenidae: taxonomy, systematics and evolution"] Fossils and strata. 30: 42. [https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=n2:0300-9491 ISSN 0300-9491]. {{ISBN|82-00-37481-5}}.
Characteristics
Proteles amplidentus was similar to the modern aardwolf in most respects but had less reduced cheek teeth.{{cite book |title=Paleontology and Geology of Laetoli: Human Evolution in Context Volume 2: Fossil Hominins and the Associated Fauna |date=2011 |publisher=Springer Netherlands |isbn=9789048199624 |page=220}} The former species was larger and had larger canine teeth. It had a smaller third premolar than the aardwolf and its second and third premolars were positioned more anteriorly.
Etymology and naming
Proteles amplidentus was initially named Proteles transvaalensis by Hendey (1974),Hendey, Q. B. (1974-07-31). [https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/AJA00411752_211 "New fossil carnivores from the Swartkrans australopithecine site"] Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 29 (3): 35-38. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA00411752_211 but Proteles cristatus transvaalensis (Roberts, 1932)Roberts, Austin. (1932-10-01). [https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/AJA00411752_616 "Preliminary description of fifty-seven new forms of South African mammals"] Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 15 (1): 6. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA00411752_616 had already been used to describe a subspecies of aardwolf. Proteles amplidentus was proposed by Werdelin & Solounias (1991) in reference to the larger dentition of this species in comparison to the extant aardwolf.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q108422392}}
Category:Pliocene mammals of Africa
Category:Pleistocene mammals of Africa
Category:Fossil taxa described in 1991
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