Pachycrocuta

''Pachycrocuta'' is an extinct genus of hyena. The largest and most well-researched species is ''Pachycrocuta brevirostris'', colloquially known as the giant short-faced hyena as it stood about at the shoulder and it is estimated to have averaged in weight, approaching the size of a lioness, making it one the largest known hyenas. It is often hypothesised to have been a specialised kleptoparasitic scavenger, using its imposing size to force other predators off of carcasses, though some authors have suggested they may have been effective pack hunters like living spotted hyenas.

The precise time of the origin of the genus depends on what species are included, though the only unquestioned species of the genus, ''P. brevirostris'', had emerged by the Early Pleistocene (around 2.6-2 million years ago). Around 800,000 years ago at the end of the Early Pleistocene, it became locally extinct in Europe, with it surviving in East Asia until at least 500,000 years ago, and possibly later elsewhere in Asia.

Extinct animals of Indonesia

Taxonomy

The first identified fossil of the short-faced hyena was discovered in Le Puy, Auvergne, France, in 1845 by French paleontologist Auguste Aymard. In 1850, French paleontologist Paul Gervais made it the holotype specimen of a new species, '' Hyaena brevirostris''. But, in 1893, while writing a much more detailed description, French paleontologist Marcellin Boule mistakenly listed Aymard as the species authority instead of Gervais, citing volume 12 of Aymard's ''Annales de la Société d'Agriculture, Sciences, Arts et Commerce du Puy'' which does not mention the species at all. Boule further gave the annal's publication date as 1846 instead of the correct 1848. The fallacious authority Aymard, 1846, was reprinted for over a century until Spanish paleontologist David M. Alba and colleagues on behalf of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature convincingly falsified it in 2013.

The short-faced hyena was usually relegated to the genus ''Hyaena'' alongside the modern striped hyena and brown hyena. In 1938, Hungarian paleontologist Miklós Kretzoi suggested erecting a new genus for it, ''Pachycrocuta'', but this only became popular after Giovanni Ficcarelli and Danilo Torres' review of hyena classification in 1970. They, like many priors, placed ''Pachycrocuta'' as ancestral to '' Crocuta'' (the modern spotted hyena).

Dozens more short-faced hyena remains have been found across Europe. In 1828, Jean-Baptiste Croizet and Antoine Claude Gabriel Jobert created the species "''H. perrieri''" for a specimen from Montagne de Perrier, France. In 1889, German paleontologist Karl Weithofer described "''H. robusta''" based on a specimen from Olivola, Tuscany, Italy, but Boule quickly synonymized it with "''H.''" ''brevirostris'' in 1893. In 1890, French paleontologist Charles Depéret erected "''H. pyrenaica''" based on a specimen from Roussillon. Short-faced hyenas were also being discovered in East Asia. In 1870, English naturalist Richard Owen described a Chinese specimen as "''H.''" ''sinensis''. In 1908, French paleoanthropologist Eugène Dubois described a Javan one as "''H. bathygnatha''". In 1934, Chinese paleoanthropologist Pei Wenzhong described another Chinese one, "''H.''" ''licenti'', from the Nihewan Basin. In 1954, mammalogist R. F. Ewer described "''P.''" ''bellax''" from Kromdraai, South Africa. In 1956, Finnish paleontologist Björn Kurtén identified the subspecies "''H. b. neglecta''" from Jammu, India (he also chose to classify several other short-faced hyenas as subspecies of ''brevirostris''.) In 1970 Ficcarelli and Torres relegated these to ''Pachycrocuta'', though "''P. perrieri''" is sometimes split off into a different genus, '' Pliocrocuta'', erected by Kretzoi in 1938. In 2001, ''P. brevirostris'' was identified in Gladysvale Cave, South Africa.

Usually, no more than one or two Asian short-faced hyenas were considered distinct from the European ''P. brevirostris''. The two species convention was especially popular among Chinese scientists. As the 20th century progressed, they were often classified as regional subspecies of ''P. brevirostris'', with ''P. b. brevirostris'' endemic to Europe, and ''P. b. licenti'' and ''P. b. sinensis'' to China. In 2021, Chinese paleontologist Liu Jinyi and colleagues reported the largest ever short-faced hyena skull from Jinniushan, Northeast China, belonging to ''P. b. brevirostris'', demonstrating the subspecies is not endemic to Europe. They suggested ''P. b. licenti'' (Middle Villafranchian) evolved into ''P. b. brevirostris'' (Late Villafranchian), which evolved into ''P. b. sinensis'' ( Galerian). Relict populations of ''P. b. licenti'' seem to have persisted for some time in southern China while ''P. b. brevirostris'' had replaced most other populations. Liu and colleagues were unsure how other supposed subspecies fit into this paradigm.

The taxonomic position of ''Pachycrocuta'' relative to modern hyenas is debated. A 2008 study suggested that it was most closely related to the spotted hyena (''Croctuta crocuta'') among living hyenas. Conversely, in a 2024 analysis of metric data for teeth, Pérez-Claros argued that the brown hyena (''Parahyaena brunnea'') was its closest living relative, and along with the extinct '' Pliocrocuta'' and ''"Hyaena" prisca'' should be included within ''Pachycrocuta''. A later 2025 study continued to regard ''Pliocrocuta'' and the brown hyena as separate from ''Pachycrocuta,'' and ''P. brevirostris'' as the only valid Eurasian species of the genus.

Description

''Pachycroctua brevirostris'' was one of the largest hyenas, only the percrocutid hyena, '' Dinocrocuta gigantea'' grew larger. Two adult individuals from Zhoukoudian were estimated to be around at the shoulder respectively, though some European individuals may have been somewhat larger. The average individual is suggested to have been around , while very large individuals may have reached . The limb bones are massively built, though the limbs bones towards the ends (distal parts) of the limbs like the tibia are particularly short, suggesting an adaption for dismembering and/or carrying carcasses. The shortening of the distal limb bones results in ''P. brevirostris'' not being much taller than modern hyenas despite being considerably larger. The skull is large and has a well developed sagittal crest, indicating well developed and large temporal muscles in life. The teeth, particularly the large premolars, and the powerfully built mandible show a strong adaption to bone cracking.

Behaviour and ecology

It has been suggested that ''Pachycrocuta'' lived in packs, similar to living spotted hyenas. A cache of very comprehensive bone material was unearthed at the famous Zhoukoudian cave site in Northern China, which probably represents the remains of animals using these caves as lairs for many millennia. At the western end of their former range, at Venta Micena in southeastern Spain, a huge assemblage of Pleistocene fossils also represents a den. Yet another example exists in the Pabbi Hills of Pakistan, where remains of animals scavenged or killed by ''Pachycrocuta'' were accumulated. The morphology of its limbs suggests that it was less adapted to running than living spotted hyenas. Similar to the modern day striped hyena, ''Pachycrocuta'' is often suggested to have been a kleptoparasitic scavenger of the kills of other predators, such as the sabertooth cats ''Homotherium'' and ''Megantereon'', as well as the wild dog '' Xenocyon lycaonoides.'' However, other authors have argued that while ''P. brevirostris'' likely engaged in kleptoparasitism, it was likely equally capable of hunting medium-large sized prey in packs, similar to living spotted hyenas. Its powerfully built limbs would likely have been effective in subduing prey. ''P. brevirostris'' is known from fossil evidence found at Tsiotra Vryssi in Greece to have preferentially consumed certain bones due depending on their nutrient value.

Species preyed upon and/or scavenged by ''Pachycrocuta'' during the Early Pleistocene in Europe include the mammoth species '' Mammuthus meridionalis'', equines (likely including '' Equus altidens''), rhinoceroses, deer (likely including '' Praemegaceros'') and bovids (likely including bison). At the site of Cueva Victoria in southeast Spain, evidence for the consumption of monk seals ('' Monachus''), has also been found.

Eggs found in coprolites (fossilised feces) from Crimea indicate that ''Pachycrocuta brevirostris'' harboured a number of parasites, including flukes, tapeworms of the genus '' Taenia'' and parasitic nematodes of the genera '' Toxocara'' and '' Capillaria.''

Relationship with humans

''P. brevirostris'' likely competed with early representatives of ''Homo'' (archaic humans) in Early Pleistocene Europe like ''Homo antecessor'' for carrion, with one mammoth carcass from the Fuente Nueva-3 site in Spain showing evidence of having been consumed by both archaic humans and ''Pachycrocuta''. A skull of '' Homo erectus georgicus'' from Dmanisi, Georgia in the Caucasus displays bite marks that may be attributable to ''Pachycrocuta''. Remains of "Peking Man" (an East Asian form of ''Homo erectus'') in the Zhoukoudian cave site display evidence of having been consumed by ''Pachycrocuta'' which includes distinctive fracturing of the skull, likely the result of biting on the facial region likely to expose the brain, as well as bones displaying signs of having been swallowed and subject to erosion by stomach acid. It is unclear whether this consumption indicates predation or scavenging.

Evolution and extinction

The oldest fossils usually considered to belong to the genus are known from the Pliocene

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases