Amphicyoninae is a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

of extinct

amphicyonids Amphicyonidae is an extinct family of terrestrial carnivorans belonging to the suborder Caniformia. They first appeared in North America in the middle Eocene (around 45 mya), spread to Europe by the late Eocene (35 mya), and further spread to Asi ...

, large

terrestrial Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth, as opposed to extraterrestrial. Terrestrial may also refer to: * Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on o ...

carnivore A carnivore , or meat-eater (Latin, ''caro'', genitive ''carnis'', meaning meat or "flesh" and ''vorare'' meaning "to devour"), is an animal or plant Plants are the eukaryotes that form the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae; they ar ...

s sometimes called "bear-dogs", belonging to the

suborder Order () is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms and recognized ...

Caniformia Caniformia is a suborder within the order Carnivora consisting of "dog-like" carnivorans. They include Canidae, dogs (Wolf, wolves, foxes, etc.), bears, raccoons, and Mustelidae, mustelids. The Pinnipedia (pinniped, seals, walruses and sea lions) ...

, which inhabited

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

Eurasia Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...

, and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

from the middle

Eocene The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...

to the late

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

. Amphicyoninae was first named by Trouessart (1885). It was assigned to

Canidae Canidae (; from Latin, ''canis'', "dog") is a family (biology), biological family of caniform carnivorans, constituting a clade. A member of this family is also called a canid (). The family includes three subfamily, subfamilies: the Caninae, a ...

by Matthew (1902), to

Ursidae Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...

by Ginsburg (1977) and to Amphicyonidae by Hunt (1998). Genera include: *''

Amphicyon ''Amphicyon'' is an extinct genus of large carnivorans belonging to the family Amphicyonidae (known colloquially as "bear-dogs"), subfamily Amphicyoninae, from the Miocene epoch. Members of this family received their vernacular name for possessin ...

'', found in both Europe and N. America *''

Cynelos ''Cynelos'' is a large extinct genus of amphicyonids which inhabited North America, Europe, and Africa from the Early Miocene subepoch to the Late Miocene subepoch 20.4–13.7 Annum, Mya, existing for approximately . Species * ''C. caroniavorus ...

'', synonyms include ''Absonodaphoenus'' (from Florida) and ''Hecubides'' (from Africa), endemic to N. America *''

Cynodictis ''Cynodictis'' ("slender dog marten") is an extinct amphicyonid carnivoran which inhabited Eurasia from the Late Eocene subepoch to the Early Oligocene subepoch living from 37.2 to 28.4 million years ago, existing for approximately . Anatomy '' ...

'' *'' Ischyrocyon'' (syn. ''Hadrocyon''), endemic to N. America *'' Goupilictis'' *'' Magericyon'' *''Paludocyon'' *'' Pliocyon'', endemic to N. America *''

Pseudocyon ''Pseudocyon'' (False dog) is a genus of amphicyonid which inhabited Eurasia and North America during the Miocene epoch living approximately . ''Pseudocyon'' was assigned to Amphicyoninae by Hunt in 1988 and to Amphicyonidae by Lartet (1851), C ...

'' (syn. ''Amphicyonopsis''), endemic to Europe and N. America

Fossil distribution

Specimens have been recovered from: * Midway Site,

Gadsden County, Florida Gadsden County is a county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 43,826. Its county seat is Quincy. Gadsden County is included in the Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area. As pa ...

~18.9—18.8 Ma. *Rabbitt Creek Site,

Meagher County, Montana Meagher County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,927. Its county seat is White Sulphur Springs. According to the United States Census Bureau, the 2010 center of population of Mo ...

~21.7—18 Ma. *

Grimes Landing Site Claire Elise Boucher (; born March 17, 1988), known professionally as Grimes, is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her lyrics often touch on science fiction and feminist themes. The visuals in her videos are elabora ...

King William County, Virginia King William County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,810. Its county seat is King William. King William County is located in the Middle Peninsula and is included in the Greate ...

~17.6 Ma. *Arrisdrift,

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

~23.03—11.6 Ma. *Les Beilleaux,

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

~20—16.9 Ma.

References

Amphicyonidae Oligocene caniforms Miocene carnivorans Zanclean extinctions Aquitanian first appearances {{paleo-carnivora-stub