''Ictitherium'' is an
extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
belonging to the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Hyaenidae and the subfamily
Ictitheriinae erected by Trouessart in 1897. ''Ictitherium'' species were
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to
Eurasia
Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelag ...
and
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
during the
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.
The sub-epoch lasted from 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma to 11.608 ± 0.005 Ma (million ...
through the
Early Pliocene
Early may refer to:
History
* The beginning or oldest part of a defined historical period, as opposed to middle or late periods, e.g.:
** Early Christianity
** Early modern Europe
Places in the United States
* Early, Iowa
* Early, Texas
* ...
(12.7—5.3
mya) and existed approximately .
''Ictitherium'' were around long, and looked more like
civet
A civet () is a small, lean, mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical Asia and Africa, especially the tropical forests. The term civet applies to over a dozen different species, mostly from the family Viverridae. Most of the species diversit ...
s than modern hyenas, possessing a long body with short legs and a possibly short tail. It is speculated that ''I. viverrinum'' ate plants as well as medium-small mammals and birds.
''Ictitherium'' was a very successful and abundant genus, with multiple fossils often being found at a single site.
Possibly, this early hyena genus lived in packs and had a social order, much like its modern descendants.
References
Prehistoric hyenas
Miocene carnivorans
Pliocene carnivorans
Zanclean extinctions
Miocene mammals of Africa
Pliocene mammals of Africa
Miocene mammals of Asia
Pliocene mammals of Asia
Miocene mammals of Europe
Prehistoric carnivoran genera
{{paleo-carnivora-stub