Cladosictis

Cladosictis
Temporal range: Early-Mid Miocene (Santacrucian-Friasian)
~17.5–15.5 Ma
↓
Life restoration of Cladosictis lustratus feeding on Pachyrukhos moyani
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Metatheria
Order: †Sparassodonta
Family: †Hathliacynidae[1]
Genus: †Cladosictis
Ameghino, 1887
Species
  • C. centralis
  • C. defossa
  • C. patagonica
Synonyms
  • Agustylus Ameghino 1887
  • Anatherium Ameghino 1887
  • Hathliacynus Ameghino 1887
  • Ictioborus Ameghino 1891

Cladosictis is an extinct genus of South American metatherian from Patagonia, Argentina (Chichinales, Cerro Bandera, Sarmiento and Santa Cruz Formations) and Chile (Río Frias Formation).[2]

Description

It was an otter-like creature of about 80 centimetres (2.6 ft) long. Its body and tail were long, the limbs were short. Cladosictis probably hunted small creatures in low undergrowth, using its low posture for cover. Possibly, it also stole bird and reptile eggs. With sharp canines and slicing carnassials, Cladosictis's teeth were similar to those of carnivorans, although the groups were unrelated.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Hathliacynidae
  2. ↑ Cladosictis at Fossilworks.org
  3. ↑ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. pp. 202–203. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.


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