Phlaocyonini is an

extinct Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...

of hypocarnivorous borophagines (bone-crushing dogs). They were endemic to

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 from 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 ...

epoch (

Whitneyan The Whitneyan North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 33,300,000 to 30,800,000 years BP, a period of . It is usuall ...

stage) to 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 ...

( Early Barstovian) living ~33.3–5.3 Ma, existing for approximately . The clade includes '' Cynarctoides'' and ''

Phlaocyon ''Phlaocyon'' (from Greek ''phlao'', "eat greedily" and ''cyon'', "dog") is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lives from the Early Oligocene to the Early Miocene epoch 33.3–16.3 Mya, existing ...

''. These two genus members represent differing approaches of hypocarnivory. The ''Cynarctoides'' trend toward having molar teeth with crowns formed of crescent-shaped

cusp A cusp is the most pointed end of a curve. It often refers to cusp (anatomy), a pointed structure on a tooth. Cusp or CUSP may also refer to: Mathematics * Cusp (singularity), a singular point of a curve * Cusp catastrophe, a branch of bifu ...

s and remain small in size. ''Phlaocyon'' specialize toward rounded cusps on the molar teeth but of increasing size, with an unusual trend toward being

hypercarnivore A hypercarnivore is an animal that has a diet that is more than 70% meat, either via active predation or by scavenging. The remaining non-meat diet may consist of non-animal foods such as fungi, fruits or other plant material. Some extant exampl ...

s by two terminal species in the clade. Four transitional species of '' Cormocyon'' and '' Desmocyon'' occupy intermediate positions between the Phlaocyonini and Cynarctina. These represent a gradual size increase toward medium-size individuals.Phylogenetic systematics of the Borophaginae (Carnivora, Canidae). Bulletin of the AMNH; no. 243, Wang, Tedford, Taylor.
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Fossil distribution

A few of many sites: * Wewela Site, Turtle Butte Formation,

Tripp County, South Dakota Tripp County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,624. Its county seat is Winner. The county was created in 1873, and was organized in 1909. It is named for lawyer, judge, and diplomat ...

(''

minor'') ~30.8–20.6 Ma. * Brooksville 2 Site,

Hernando County, Florida Hernando County () is a County (United States), county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 194,515. Its county seat is Brooksville, Florida, Brooks ...

(''Phlaocyon taylori'') ~26.3–24.8 Ma. * Split Rock Site, Arikaree Formation,

Fremont County, Wyoming Fremont County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 39,234, making it the fifth-most populous county in Wyoming. Its county seat is Lander, Wyoming, Lander. T ...

, ('' Cynarctoides'') ~20.6–16.3 Ma. * Cedar Run Site,

Oakville Formation The Oakville Formation is a geologic formation in Texas. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Texas * Paleontology in Texas Paleontology in Texas refers to paleontol ...

Washington County, Texas Washington County is a county in Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 35,805. Its county seat is Brenham, which is located along U.S. Highway 290, 72 miles northwest of Houston. The county was created in 1835 as a municipality o ...

(''

'') ~20.3–5.3 Ma. * Nambe Site, Tesuque Formation,

Santa Fe County, New Mexico Santa Fe County (; meaning "County of the Holy faith" in Spanish) is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, its population was 154,823, making it New Mexico's third-most populous county, after Bernalillo Count ...

, (''Cynarctoides acridens'') ~20.3–5.3 Ma.

Resources

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2486786 Miocene carnivorans Messinian extinctions Mammal tribes Prehistoric mammals of North America Rupelian first appearances