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''Nimravus'' is an extinct 
The Dakota Badlands Used to Host Sabertoothed Pseudo-Cat Battles
/ref>
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of "false" saber-toothed cat that lived 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 ...
and 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 ...
during the late 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 ...
and 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 ...
epochs 35.3—27.1 mya, existing for approximately . Not closely related to true saber-toothed cats, they evolved a similar form through parallel evolution
Parallel evolution is the similar development of a trait in distinct species that are not closely related, but share a similar original trait in response to similar evolutionary pressure.Zhang, J. and Kumar, S. 1997Detection of convergent and pa ...
. Fossils have been uncovered western U.S. from Oregon to southern California and Nebraska, and Eurasia from France to Mongolia.
Description
''Nimravus'' was around in body length. With its sleek body, it may have resembled the moderncaracal
The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized Felidae, wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long ...
, although it had a longer back and more dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...
-like feet with partially retractile claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most amniotes (mammals, reptiles, birds). Some invertebrates such as beetles and spiders have somewhat similar fine, hooked structures at the end of the leg or Arthro ...
s. It probably hunted birds and small mammals, ambushing them like modern cats, rather than chasing them down. ''Nimravus'' competed with other false sabre-tooths such as ''Hoplophoneus
''Hoplophoneus'' (Greek: "murder" (phonos), "weapon" (hoplo)) is an extinct genus of the family Nimravidae, lived in North America and Asia during the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene epochs from 35.7 to 30.5 mya, existing for approximately .
Tax ...
''.
Pathology
A ''Nimravus''skull
The skull, or cranium, is typically a bony enclosure around the brain of a vertebrate. In some fish, and amphibians, the skull is of cartilage. The skull is at the head end of the vertebrate.
In the human, the skull comprises two prominent ...
, found in North America, had been pierced in the forehead region, the hole exactly matching the dimensions of the sabre-like canine
Canine may refer to:
Zoology and anatomy
* Animals of the family Canidae, more specifically the subfamily Caninae, which includes dogs, wolves, foxes, jackals and coyotes
** ''Canis'', a genus that includes dogs, wolves, coyotes, and jackals
** Do ...
of ''Eusmilus
''Eusmilus'' ('true sabre') is a prehistoric genus of Nimravidae, nimravid that lived in Europe and North America during the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene epochs (34.7–29.5 Annum, mya).
Taxonomy
There are three valid species of ''Eusmilus' ...
''. This particular individual of ''Nimravus'' apparently survived this encounter, as the wound showed signs of healing. Another ''Nimravus'' fossil from Nebraska was described in 1959 by paleontologist Loren Toohey, and comprises a ''Nimravus'' skull with saber-teeth embedded into the humerus of another ''Nimravus'', indicating a fatal incidence of intra-specific combat./ref>
References
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q134562 Nimravidae Oligocene feliforms Chattian genus extinctions Rupelian genus first appearances Oligocene mammals of Europe Paleogene France Fossils of France Quercy Phosphorites Formation Oligocene mammals of North America Fossil taxa described in 1879 Prehistoric carnivoran genera Taxa named by Edward Drinker Cope