The genus ''Leptocyon'' (Greek: ''leptos'' slender + ''cyon'' dog) includes 11 species and was the first canine. They were small and weighed around . They first appeared in

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 ...

around 34 million years ago in the

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that defin ...

, at the same time as the

Borophaginae The extinct Borophaginae form one of three subfamilies found within the canid family. The other two canid subfamilies are the extinct Hesperocyoninae and extant Caninae. Borophaginae, called "bone-crushing dogs", were endemic to North America d ...

, with whom they share features, indicating that these were two sister groups. Borophaginae skull and dentition were designed for a powerful killing bite compared with the Leptocyon which were designed for snatching small, fast-moving prey. The species ''L. delicatus'' is the smallest canid to have existed. At the close of their genus 9 million years ago one ''Leptocyon'' lineage resembled the modern fox. ''Leptocyon'' were small-bodied, fox-like animals with a long, narrow jaw and delicate teeth. They were probably omnivorous, feeding on small animals and fruit in a diet that remained relatively unchanged during the

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 ...

References

Bibliography

* Prehistoric canines Miocene canids Oligocene canids Oligocene mammals of North America Miocene mammals of North America Prehistoric carnivoran genera Rupelian genus first appearances Tortonian genus extinctions Whitneyan Arikareean Hemingfordian Barstovian Clarendonian Fossil taxa described in 1918 {{paleo-carnivora-stub