the crab-eating raccoon ( procyon cancrivorus ) is a species of raccoon native to marshy and jungle areas of central and south america ( including trinidad and tobago ) .

it is found from costa rica south through most areas of south america east of the andes down to northern argentina and uruguay .

that it is called the crab-eating raccoon does not mean that only this species eats crabs , as the common raccoon also seeks and eats crabs where they are available .

the crab-eating raccoon eats crab , lobster , and other crustaceans , but is an omnivore and its diet also includes , for example , small amphibians , turtle eggs , and fruits .

it resembles its northern cousin , the common raccoon , in having a bushy ringed tail and " bandit mask " of fur around its eyes .

unlike the common raccoon , the hair on the nape of the neck points towards the head , rather than backward .

the crab-eating raccoon also appears to be more adapted to an arboreal lifestyle than the common raccoon , with sharper , narrower claws .

it also is better adapted for a diet of hard-shelled food , with most of the cheek teeth being larger than those of the common raccoon , with broader , rounded cusps .

although the crab-eating raccoon can appear smaller and more streamlined than the common raccoon due to its much shorter fur and more gracile build , the crab-eating raccoon is of similar dimensions to the northern species .

males are usually larger than the females .

crab - eating raccoon

a little known species , the crab - eating raccoon is thought to be a solitary species .
the tail of the crab - eating raccoon makes up about 50 % of its total length .
there is not much known about the home range size of crab - eating raccoons .
raccoon pictures tres marias raccoon crab - eating raccoon common raccoon more information : professional raccoon trap wildlife control pests and animals pest control the most recognized animal in north america , the raccoon gets it name from the indian word “arakum” meaning “he scratches with his hands . ” there are three species of the raccoon : the tres marias , the crab - eating , and the common raccoon .
species : procyon cancrivorous ( crab - eating raccoon ) , with four subspecies ; procyon lotor ( common raccoon ) , with 22 subspecies ; and procyon pygmaeus ( cozumel raccoon or pygmy raccoon ) .
the crab - eating raccoon is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
the crab - eating raccoon is solitary and nocturnal . it is almost always found near streams , lakes , and rivers .
the crab - eating raccoon is the 142nd species in my mammals of the world series . all media is educational fair use .
the neck fur of crab - eating raccoons slants forward towards the head . these animals appear thinner than
crab - eating raccoons are excellent climbers . crabs make up only a minor part of their diet .
crab - eating raccoon ( procyon cancrivorus ) . attempting to break into a tourist ' s haversac . manuel antonio np costa rica .
crab - eating raccoon ( procyon cancrivorus ) . attempting to scavenge food from a woman tourist ' s bag on a beach . costa rica .
crab - eating raccoon ( procyon cancrivorus ) . attempting to scavenge food from tourist ' s bag and clothing on a beach . costa rica .
the crab - eating raccoon is yellowish - red to brown to grayish - brown . it has paler undersides , a black mask , and tail rings .
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this female crab - eating raccoon was on the beach in the manuel antonio national park digging for her lunch . her boyfriend joins her a little later on .
a mother raccoon with her 4 juveniles eating from a can of cat food in a residential backyard .
not much is known on the bmr of crab - eating raccoons . however , there is adequate information on the northern species ,
a raccoon caught scavenging from a dead raccoon during a cold winter in wisconsin .
raccoon , ( procyon lotor ) , eating trash . elephant butte state park , new mexico , usa .
, in having a bushy ringed tail and
bandit mask
of fur around its eyes . although the crab - eating raccoon can appear smaller and more streamlined than the common raccoon due to its much shorter fur and more
the crab eating raccoon is found in panama and southern costa rica to northern argentina . with a salt and pepper colored fur , this creature has a smaller body and slightly larger head .
no official protection is given to crab - eating raccoon throughout most of its range ( de la rosa and nocke 2000 ) , however , its range does overlap with a number of protected areas .
the crab - eating raccoon ( p . cancrivorus ) inhabits south america as far south as northern argentina . it resembles the north american raccoon but has shorter , coarser fur . the other members of genus procyon are not well known . most are tropical and probably rare . they are the barbados raccoon…
are managed as a game species through both hunting and trapping . there is currently no management in central america for crab - eating raccoons . however , even though
the common raccoon is a small , nocturnal carnivore in the family procyonidae . this family has 2 subgenera , procyon and euprocyon . the common raccoon is in the subgenus , procyon , along with 7 other species of raccoon . there is only 1 species in euprocyon ( refer to the diagram below ) . the 6 species of raccoon in procyon are the : common raccoon ( p . lotor ) , barbados raccoon ( p . gloveralleni ) , guadeloupe raccoon ( p . minor ) , bahamas raccoon ( p . maynardi ) , trés marías islands raccoon ( p . insularis ) and cozymel raccoon ( p . pygmaeus ) . the crab - eating raccoon ( euprocyon cancrivorus ) is the only living species in euprocyon .
this map shows both the native and introduced distribution of the common raccoon around the globe . areas in red are native to the raccoon while areas in blue represent the introduced distribution of the common raccoon .
occupies areas around bodies of water , such as swamps , lakes , lagoons , and ocean beaches . where both species overlap , crab - eating raccoons mainly occupy lands surrounding inland rivers , whereas northern raccoons occupy swamps and beaches .
main characteristics crab - eating raccoons have a body length between 45 and 90 cms ( 18 - 35 inches ) , a tail length between 20 and 56 cms ( 8 - 22 inches ) and they weigh between 2 and 12 kgs ( 4 . 5 - 26 lbs ) . their fur is short and it is brownish / grey in colour . they have a bushy tail that has alternating pale and dark rings and they have short , rounded ears . their eyes are small and they have black eye patches which gives them the appearance of wearing a
bandit ' s mask
. habitat crab - eating raccoons can be found in the jungle and marshy areas of central and south america . they are solitary and are active at night . diet crab - eating raccoons feed on fish , shellfish , crabs and aquatic insects . breeding after a gestation period of 60 - 73 days , females give birth to 2 - 6 young in a leaf lined den . the youngsters are weaned by the time they are 4 months old and are independent at 8 months old . they reach sexual maturity at 1 year old . predators crab - eating raccoons are preyed upon by larger carnivores . subspecies subspecies of the crab - eating raccoon include : procyon cancrivorus aequatorialis procyon cancrivorus cancrivorus procyon cancrivorus panamensis procyon cancrivorus nigripes interesting facts crab - eating raccoons are also known as : mapache osito lavador procyon comes from the greek words meaning
before the dog
. similar animals ringtail red panda cacomistle common raccoon mountain coati white - nosed coati south american coati
the crab - eating raccoon is naturally rare in some areas of its range and it does not seem as adaptable to human activity as is the northern raccoon , although it is probably stable throughout south america where viable areas exist . in the paraguayan chaco , its density in secondary growth cattle land is estimated not to exceed 6 . 7 individuals / km² ( glatston 1994 ) .
the forepaw of a raccoon is about 2 - 2 ½ inches long 6 . the hindpaw of a raccoon is about 3 - 3 ½ inches long 6 .
a virginia opossum feeding on a dead raccoon during winter in the north woods .
common raccoon ( procyon lotor ) captive raccoons playing in water and fall colors .
baby raccoon ( procyon lotor ) looking out from tree den . captive animal .
a raccoon’s sense of touch is arguably its most powerful sense . the raccoon has 5 unwebbed , digits with short , curved , non - retractable claws on each paw
. thicker fur enables a raccoon to withstand the harsh winters associated with northern latitudes .
crab - eating raccoons are nocturnal , omnivorous / frugivorous animals . body weights range from 3 to 7 kg . body lengths are reported as being between 54 and 65 cm , with the tail comprising 25 to 38 cm of the total length . males tend to be larger than the females .
a species of raccoon procyon cancrivorus , found in the jungles of central and south america .
a raccoon walking away from scavenging on a ring - necked pheasant during winter in wisconsin .
there are 25 subspecies of the common raccoon , which are discernible by their geographical distribution , physical characteristics , behavior , and in some cases , genetics 1 . the subspecies of raccoon found throughout wyoming is the upper mississippi valley raccoon ( p . lotor - hirtus ) 1 .
here is the taxonomy of the raccoon , according to integrated taxonomic information system ( itis ) .
a mother and baby raccoon feeding on a ring - necked pheasant during winter in the north woods .
seasacape of titan triggerfish feeding on coral reef with raccoon butterflyfish fluttering above . red sea , egypt .
the raccoon ' s black mask enhances their night - vision which is critical for this nocturnal animal . notice the ear tags ? check out tracking raccoons to learn more about why this raccoon has an ear tag !
raccoon dog / marderhund ( nyctereutes procyonoides ) , secretive behavior , hidden behind a tree , peeking carefully .
raccoon dog / marderhund ( nyctereutes procyonoides ) , secretive behavior , hidden behind a tree , watching carefully .
. it is not uncommon for a raccoon to wet its hands when presented with water . this behavior is thought to provide the raccoon with a heightened sense of touch because the padding on its forepaws become soft and pliable
according to the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) , the pygmy raccoon is critically endangered . the pygmy raccoon may have fewer than 250 mature individuals left in the wild , and the iucn estimates that the total population size , including juveniles , is only 323 to 955 . other raccoon populations are not currently endangered .
surprised looking wild common raccoon / waschbaer ( procyon lotor ) stands in front of some bushes in a backyard .
build . however , the crab - eating raccoon is of similar dimensions to the northern species . head and body length is 41 to 80 cm ( 16 to 31 in ) , tail length is 20 to 56 cm ( 8 to 22 in ) and height at the shoulder is about 23 cm ( 9 in ) . weights can range from 2 to 12 kg ( 4 to 26 lb ) , though are mostly between 5 and 7 kg ( 11 and 15 lb ) .
is omnivorous , but fruit has been observed to be the main part of its diet . crab - eating raccoons consume a variety of foods , including invertebrates , crustaceans , insects , nuts , vegetables , fish , frogs , and small turtles . olfaction , vision , and their sense of touch are used to identify and capture food . the diet may change with season and food availability .
today the common raccoon is hunted for food and for sport . they have been known to carry the raccoon roundworm , which in transmitted to humans through ingestion and inhalation of eggs passed in their feces . they also can sometimes carry rabies . preyed upon by foxes , bobcats , coyotes and owls , the common raccoon is mainly killed by cars and disease .
raccoon ( procyon lotor ) standing up investigating camera , portrait , stanley park , vancouver , british columbia , cananda , september .
one theory is that the black mask around a raccoon’s eyes helps deflect glare and helps with night vision , according to pbs nature .
common raccoon ( procyon lotor ) looks surprised , stands in front of some bushes , late in the night , wildlife , germany .
as with all carnivores raccoons have carnassials which are a set of teeth designed for tearing apart flesh . although raccoons have them , they are poorly developed compared to other carnivores , including other procyonids like crab - eating raccoons and ringtails . raccoons have an omnivorous diet which is reflected in the shape of their rounded , cusped molars . like other omnivores , including bears and humans , raccoons have a bunodont molar dentition . another distinguishable skull feature of the raccoon is the shape of the auditory bullae . this bony structure is laterally compressed on the outside of the skull and inflated on the inner sides
for many nocturnal animals a strong sense of hearing is crucial . the raccoon’s ability to hear faint sounds is useful for hunting and avoiding potential predators . compared to other procyonids , such as the coati and ringtail , the raccoon does not possess as strong of a sense of hearing
this species is nocturnal , active at ground level , and solitary . its diet consists of molluscs , fish , crabs , insects , and amphibians ( emmons and feer 1990 ) . very little is known about its ecology or behaviour , although limited information is available from captive studies ( eisenberg 1989 ) . it is often believed to be limited to coastline and riverbank habitats , but it has also been recorded in non - aquatic habitats at certain times of the year . it is a species rarely seen deep in the rain forest , but it is found in llanos and evergreen forest and in andean forests . in the zone of geographic overlap with the northern raccoon , the latter is found in mangrove swamps while the crab - eating raccoon is found along inland rivers ( emmons and feer 1990 ) .
the crab - eating raccoon is distributed from southern costa rica to northern argentina ( east border of the andes ) , on trinidad , and possibly on a number of other caribbean islands . within costa rica and immediately east of the border ( i . e . panama ) , it is sympatric with the northern raccoon p . lotor ( eisenberg and redford 1999 , de la rosa and nocke 2000 ) . reputed occurrence in northern colombia is not confirmed because it is easily confused with p . lotor ( gonzález - maya et al . 2011 ) but recent craniometric evidence suggest both species are present in the caribbean region ( marín et al . 2012 ) ; neither external features nor recent records are provided . recent records have expanded altitudinal range up to 2 , 350 ( marín et al . 2012 ) .
the physical characteristics of the raccoon varies by location . raccoons that live in densely forested habitats tend to have darker fur than raccoons in coastal and desert regions
ty - book ti - the distribution , size , and reproduction of the pedunculate barnacle , octolasmis mülleri ( coker , 1902 ) , on the blue crab , callinectes sapidus ( rathburn , 1896 ) / vl - n . s . no . 16 ( 1983 ) ur - urltoken pb - field museum of natural history , cy - chicago : py - 1983 n1 -
april 28 , 1983 .
au - jeffries , william b . au - voris , harold k . kw - barnacles kw - blue crab kw - octolasmis mülleri er -
crab - eating raccoons have good hearing capabilities , and are keen to strange noises . even though they are color blind , they have excellent nighttime vision . their tactile senses are what really set them apart from other carnivores . this tactile sense allows them to identify food items better than any other senses . there has been 13 different vocalizations recognized , 7 of which involved the mother and young . although not specifically reported for this species , it is likely that , as in other mammals , scent cues play some role in reproduction and identification of individuals .
the tres marias raccoon is found in the caribbean off the coast of mexico and is extremely rare and endangered . they are pale brown with a grey underbelly and a golden tail .
as omnivores , raccoons eat vegetation and meat . the vegetation in their diet consists of cherries , apples , acorns , persimmons , berries , peaches , citrus fruits , plums , wild grapes , figs , watermelons , beech nuts , corn and walnuts . when it comes to meat , raccoons consume more invertebrates than vertebrates , according to the adw . some of the raccoon’s favorite animal treats are frogs , fish , crayfish , insects , rodents and bird eggs . when food is scarce , raccoons aren’t above scavenging human trash or eating roadkill .
. the forepaws contain a high density of nerve endings that allows a raccoon to discern objects by touch alone . there are about 4 times as many nerve endings in the forepaws then there are in the hindpaws
. the raccoon ' s dark mask is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation to its nocturnal lifestyle . the dark fur surrounding the eyes will absorb light from the night sky , which reduces glare while also enhancing night vision
a raccoon is often rabid , without showing any outward symptoms of the viral disease . with the public ' s fascination with this fascinating animal , rabies becomes even greater a threat than previously thought . not only can a raccoon carry ( and spread ) the rabies virus ; the female raccoon can actually pass the virus to her unborn kits through her uterus . most animals exhibit some sort of behavior that is out of the ordinary , making it easier to spot one that is rabid . although it often shows absolutely no sign of being sick , a rabid raccoon can still easily transmit rabies to others . they are cute , they are fascinating to watch . many people enjoy feeding them . all these things create a possible danger to humans in close proximity to the animals . our main line of defense against rabies is to have our pets vaccinated . the second line of defense is common sense .
raccoons are considered one of the primary carriers of the rabies virus in the united states , though only one person has ever died from a raccoon to human transmission of the disease , according to the centers for disease control and prevention .
@ book { bhl21080 , title = { the distribution , size , and reproduction of the pedunculate barnacle , octolasmis mülleri ( coker , 1902 ) , on the blue crab , callinectes sapidus ( rathburn , 1896 ) / } , volume = { n . s . no . 16 ( 1983 ) } , copyright = { in copyright . digitized with the permission of the rights holder . } , url = urltoken note = urltoken - - -
april 28 , 1983 .
} , publisher = { chicago : field museum of natural history , } , author = { jeffries , william b . and voris , harold k . } , year = { 1983 } , pages = { 28 } , keywords = { barnacles | blue crab | octolasmis mülleri | } , }
raccoons have darker colored fur on their dorsal region ( back ) and lighter colored fur on their ventral region ( stomach ) . many mammals have this dual coloration including some of the raccoon ' s closest relatives , like the ringtail and coati . the most notable characteristics of the raccoon are their dark mask and ringed tail . the tail usually has 5 - 7 bands , alternating in color from black to cream 1 . the mask and tail pattern for every raccoon is unique to only that individual . these subtle differences are thought to help raccoons identify one another 2 . when comparing the different sexes and age groups , there are no differences in fur coloration or thickness between females and males and adults and juveniles .
. although its forepaws resemble long , thin fingers similar to a human’s or ape ' s , the raccoon does not have opposable thumbs . the forepaws also contain a type of nerve ending that is different from human and primate nerve endings .
makes use of habitats ranging from the forest of ilanos , to the xeric chaco vegetation , and even the amazon rainforests . as long as there are water , food , and places to hide and den , this raccoon will adapt . however ,
raccoons will typically live for 2 - 3 years in the wild . this is drastically less than raccoons living in captivity , which have been known to live up to 17 - 20 years 2 , 5 . raccoon population dynamics are broken down into 3 life stages : nestling , juvenile and adult . raccoons give birth to altricial young , meaning the young are completely dependent on the mother from birth to around 2 months of age , this is referred to as the nestling stage 2 . the juvenile stage begins when the raccoon is around 2 months old and can last up to 1 year 2 . during this time , a juvenile will socialize with its mothers and siblings and will start to travel outside of the den with its family 2 . the full extent of social learning that takes place between mothers and offspring is not fully understood at this time . this is a topic the university of wyoming raccoon project ( uwrp ) is interested in investigating . the adult stage starts at around 1 year of age or when a raccoon becomes sexually mature 2 . raccoons have many natural predators , including bobcats , pumas , coyotes , eagles , hawks , alligators , dogs and humans 2 , 5 . other factors that regulate raccoon populations include disease and parasites 2 .
. living at a higher latitude requires a greater allocation of resources towards survival during the harsh winters , which is likely why the dispersal age is older for raccoons in these environments . the age of sexual maturity will also influence the dispersal age for a raccoon
4 . prange , s . , gehrt , s . d . and wiggers , e . p . ( 2004 ) . influences of anthropogenic resources on raccoon ( procyon lotor ) movements and spatial distribution . journal of mammology . 85 , 483 - 490 .
the carnassials are comprised of the fourth premolar on the cranium ( p4 ) and the first molar on the mandible ( m1 ) . notice the characteristic bunodont dentition ( blue ) of omnivores . the auditory bullae ( yellow ) of the raccoon are highly inflated on the inner sides .
though raccoons are more than happy to make human areas their homes , they can be vicious when approached by humans . humans should be particuarlly cautious of approaching raccoons because they are common carriers of rabies , roundworms and leptospirosis , according to the human society . most experts do not recommend having a raccoon as a pet .
raccoons are found in canada , most of the united states , mexico and central america . over the last few decades , the raccoon has expanded its distribution outside of its historical range . they are now found further west in the united states , specifically in the rocky mountain region . they have also expanded their home ranges further north , deeper into canadian territories
the strongest social bonds form between a mother and offspring and between siblings . although the raccoon was once thought to be a solitary mammal , recent research has shown that raccoons will form small groups in some habitats 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 . the density of raccoons in a habitat will largely influence the sociality of the individuals in a population . when resources are widely dispersed and clumped together , males will become territorial of their home range and defend it against intruders 2 . females will occupy areas where there are food resources and shelter , while males will move to areas that will give them access to females . in areas with clumped resources it is not uncommon to see groups of raccoons denning and feeding together 2 , 5 . in urban and suburban environments raccoon density is often higher . 5 the time of year also influences raccoon sociality . from the late spring into early fall , female raccoons become less social towards non - relatives . during the winter and into spring , raccoons will either den up with their siblings and mother or share communal dens with other raccoons 4 .
the raccoon ( procyon cancrivorus , f . cuvier , 1798 ) is the only procyonid that occurs in itapuã state park . this conservation area has 5 , 566 . 5 ha and it is located in porto alegre metropolitan area . the purpose of this study was to do qualitative and quantitative analyses of the alimentary items consumed by the raccoons in the park , as well as investigate the seasonality influence upon the diet of these animals . every month in 2002 fecal samples on fixed transects were collected , adding up two hundred and three samples . forty - one alimentary items were found ( 53 % fruits and 47 % of animal origin items ) . the arecaceae botanic family was the most eaten food , denoting the syagrus romanzoffiana ( cham . ) glassman like the key resource of the raccoon diet , and the butia capitata ( mart . ) becc . like an important seasonal alimentary resource . other fruits like ficus sp . , vitex megapotamica ( spreng . ) mold . , psidium sp . , and eugenia uruguayensis cambess . were registered as additional items , sustaining the opportunist behavior of this species . orthoptera , blattaria , and coleoptera were the most eaten invertebrate animals in the four seasons . the high relative frequencies of birds , rodents , and other mammals on the raccoon’s taxodiet during the winter and spring denote its needs for a more improved diet of proteins in this time , due probably to low temperatures and to the birth of the cubs . the difference in the diet composition was proved using the randomization test ( α = 0 . 05 ) to all the seasons , except between the winter and the spring . this result indicates that the diet of procyon cancrivorus in pei reflects the seasonal changes .
the body size of the raccoon varies by location . raccoons living at northern latitudes have an average body weight anywhere from 20 - 30 lbs . and an average body length of 16 - 24 in . long 3 . the smallest raccoons live on the islands of the florida keys 3 . raccoons are sexually dimorphic in body size , specifically , females are smaller than males . fluctuations in body weight will occur from season to season . raccoons are highly active during the summer and fall when resources are the most abundant 4 . they typically reduce their travels during the winter and spring due to the harsh weather conditions and limited availability of resources , thus their overall caloric intake is reduced .
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justification : this species is listed as least concern because although naturally rare in some areas of its range and seemingly limited in its adaptability to human activity , it has a wide distribution range and it is probably stable throughout south america where viable areas exist .
threats to this species have included overhunting for pelts , use for target practice , the pet trade , and , in some areas , habitat destruction . coastal development projects and mangrove destruction contribute regionally to population declines .
to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .
is found from costa rica through eastern and western paraguay , uruguay , and into northern argentina . its range overlaps with that of
are very similar and closely related . both species can be found in a variety of habitats , including primary and secondary growth forest .
( de fatima , et al . , 1999 ; de la rosa and nocke , 2000 ; eisenberg and redford , 1999 )
, which helps to distinguish the two species . male northern raccoons weigh from 7 to 8 . 3 kg , with the females weighing from 5 . 1 to 7 . 1 kg .
due to the lack of underfur , an adaptation to the warmer climates it occupies . the black mask of
fades behind the eyes , unlike the northern species , which has a mask that extends almost to the ears . pelage of
( de fatima , et al . , 1999 ; de la rosa and nocke , 2000 ; eisenberg and redford , 1999 ; feldhamer , et al . , 2003 )
. northern raccoons have a higher mass - specific brm than other procyonids , which explains why this species has a more widespread distribution . their metabolic rates do not vary seasonally . both males and females tend to lose or gain weight among seasons , gaining in the winter and losing in the summer .
males are polygynous , mating with several females in succession , but females reject other males once they are impregnated . both sexes are mature after a year . however , younger males usually do not breed because they can not compete with larger , older males .
breeds once per year between july and september . the estrous cycle has been estimated to last 80 to 140 days . the gestation period lasts approximately 60 to 73 days and can yield from 2 to 7 pups , although 3 or 4 pups per litter is more typical . females give birth to their young in dens located in rock crevices , hollow trees , or in the abandoned dens of other animals .
young raccoons are born without teeth and with their eyes closed . after 3 weeks their eyes open and they begin to show the characteristic mask on their faces . the young are weaned anywhere between 7 weeks and 4 months , and are independent at about 8 months .
undoubtedly falls within this range of variation . if a female loses a newborn litter , she may ovulate a second time during the season .
( de la rosa and nocke , 2000 ; feldhamer , et al . , 2003 ; nowak , 1999 )
females provide all the parental care for the young , and may exclude males from the immediate area while they have young . the mother reduces her activity and movements during the week of parturition and becomes intolerant of conspecifics . the young begin to forage with their mother before they are weaned . they are dependent upon the female for up to 8 months , but there is some variation . males are not actively involved in caring for the young .
live longer than 5 years in the wild , although some are estimated to survive for 13 to 16 years . in 1982 , a
raccoons have well - developed senses and are very intelligent . they are nocturnal and color blind , but have excellent night vision . their tactile senses are what separate raccoons from other carnivores . they have a well - developed sense of touch , especially in the nose and forepaws ( hands ) , and they use their hands as tools . they use their hands to handle and manipulate food before placing it in their mouths . they are dexterous , and can manipulate small prey items . raccoons can be observed dipping their hands in the water and “washing” their food before ingesting it . some intelligence studies have placed raccoons above cats but below primates in their ability to discriminate objects . it was also observed that raccoons can learn quickly and can retain knowledge for up to a year .
male raccoons are solitary , but will tolerate other males around a feeding area . during breeding season , young males usually disperse to other areas , whereas young females stay within their mother’s home range . in general , raccoons are solitary , even where there are overlapping home ranges between the sexes . there is little interaction between individuals , but exceptions do occur during denning and at food aggregations .
male social behavior may be driven by the densities and spatial distribution of females . female distributions are limited by resources such as den sites , water , and food . however , little is known about variation in social structure among various species of raccoons . it is assumed that
( de la rosa and nocke , 2000 ; feldhamer , et al . , 2003 )
details on predation of these animals are lacking . however , it is likely that
as predators , these raccoons have some impact on prey species . as prey , they may affect predator populations .
is an important furbearer and game species . it generates revenue from the sale of fur .
( de la rosa and nocke , 2000 ; feldhamer , et al . , 2003 ; de la rosa and nocke , 2000 ; feldhamer , et al . , 2003 )
is a carrier of rabies , and can sometimes damage crops , but usually not to a serious extent .
many references generalize by just saying
raccoons
. by just saying
raccoons
, we assume that are including both
nicole phillips ( author ) , university of alaska fairbanks , link e . olson ( editor , instructor ) , university of alaska fairbanks .
living in the southern part of the new world . in other words , central and south america .
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state ; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth / hatching . in birds , naked and helpless after hatching .
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror - image halves . animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides , as well as anterior and posterior ends . synapomorphy of the bilateria .
in mammals , a condition in which a fertilized egg reaches the uterus but delays its implantation in the uterine lining , sometimes for several months .
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature . endothermy is a synapomorphy of the mammalia , although it may have arisen in a ( now extinct ) synapsid ancestor ; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities . convergent in birds .
forest biomes are dominated by trees , otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality .
offspring are produced in more than one group ( litters , clutches , etc . ) and across multiple seasons ( or other periods hospitable to reproduction ) . iteroparous animals must , by definition , survive over multiple seasons ( or periodic condition changes ) .
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de fatima , m . , m . dos santos , s . hartz . 1999 . the food habits of
( carnivora , procyonidae ) in the lami biological reserve , porto algre , southern brazil .
to cite this page : phillips , n . 2005 .
procyon cancrivorus
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
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. unlike many other animals , raccoons have adapted well to human infrastructure and tend to thrive in urban environments .
. fur thickness is also dependent on the environment . populations that live at northern latitudes have thicker fur than those at southern latitudes
. this animal has a generalist diet , meaning it consumes a wide range of food . they will eat plants , seeds , corn , rodents , fish , crayfish , berries , eggs , etc . they are also known for enjoying sugary foods like : apples , cherries , grapes , dates , melons and even marshmallows
1 . zeveloff , s . i . ( 2002 ) . raccoons : a natural history . washington : smithsonian institution press .
2 . macclintock , d . , & thomas , j . s . ( 1981 ) . a natural history of raccoons . new york : scribner .
3 . reid , f . a . ( 2006 ) . a field guide to mammals of north america . boston : houghton mifflin company .
5 . gehrt , s . d . , riley , s . p . d . , & cypher , b . l . ( 2010 ) . urban carnivores : ecology , conflict , and conservation . baltimore : the johns hopkins university press .
6 . mcdougall , len . ( 1997 ) . the complete tracker : tracks , signs and habits of north american wildlife . 1st edition .
raccoons are very adaptable , so they live in a wide range of climates and habitats .
raccoons are round , fuzzy creatures with bushy tails and a black mask of fur that covers their eye area . these animals may look like cute , cuddly bandits , but they can be quite fearsome when approached .
raccoons are about as big as small dogs . they grow to about 23 to 37 inches ( 60 to 95 centimeters ) and weigh 4 to 23 lbs . ( 1 . 8 to 10 . 4 kilograms ) , according to national geographic .
raccoons are found in north and central america , europe and japan . they are very adaptable , so they live in a wide range of climates and habitats . they typically make homes , called dens , in trees or caves , though they will also make homes in barns , abandoned vehicles and other man - made locations , according to new hampshire public television .
raccoons are not very social creatures . they are nocturnal and sleep during the day . during the winter , they tend to sleep more , but they do not hibernate in the traditional sense . they simply sleep while their bodies live off stored fat . they lose around 50 percent of their body weight during the winter , according to the university of michigan ' s animal diversity web ( adw ) .
though these animals look like the outlaws of the outdoors , raccoons are very clean creatures . they are known to wash their food in streams and even dig latrines in areas they frequent regularly .
baby raccoons are called kits or cubs and are usually born in the early summer . females have one to seven offspring after a gestation period of 60 to 73 days . as a group , a mother and her baby raccoons are called a nursery .
for the first two months of their lives , babies live in their den and are weened at 7 to 16 weeks . at 12 weeks , they will start to roam away from their mothers for whole nights at a time , according to the washington department of fish and wildlife . they become completely independent at 8 to 12 months of age . raccoons live around 2 to 3 years in the wild .
raccoons can run up to 15 mph ( 24 km / h ) and can fall 35 to 40 feet ( 11 to 12 meters ) without injury , according to the adw .
raccoons have five toes on their front paws that act much like human hands .
poachers tried to kill rhinos in south african reserve . instead , a pride of lions killed them .
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northern racoon , procyon lotor , looking through log , new brunswick , canada .
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( nutriment ; nourishment ; nutrition ; sustenance ; aliment ; alimentation ; victuals ; fare ; eats ; food ; solid food ) , ( tuck into ; dig in ; dive in ; tuck in ; fall to ; help o . s . )
young are born in july and august and are born three to a litter .
reid , f . & helgen , k . ( 2008 ) . procyon cancrivorus . in : iucn 2008 . iucn red list of threatened species . downloaded on 26 january 2009 .
burnie d and wilson de ( eds . ) , animal : the definitive visual guide to the world ' s wildlife . dk adult ( 2005 ) , isbn 0789477645
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chasmaporthetes , also known as hunting or running hyena , is an extinct genus of hyenas distributed in eurasia , north america , and africa during the pliocene-pleistocene epochs , living from 4.9 million to 780,000 years ago , existing for about 4.12 million years .

the genus probably arose from eurasian miocene hyenas such as thalassictis or lycyaena , with c. borissiaki being the oldest known representative .

the species c. ossifragus was the only hyena to cross the bering land bridge into the americas , and ranged over what is now arizona and mexico during blancan and early irvingtonian land mammal ages , between 5.0 and 1.5 million years ago .

chasmaporthetes was one of the so-called " dog-like " hyenas ( of which the aardwolf is the only survivor ) , a hyaenid group which , in contrast to the now more common " bone-crushing " hyenas , evolved into slender-limbed , cursorial hunters like modern canids .

the genus has entered the popular culture lexicon as a result of cryptozoologic claims , having been proposed as the likely origin of the american shunka warakin and the cuitlamiztli .

chasmaporthetes

etiquetas : acinonyx pardinensis . , asia . , chasmaporthetes australis . , chasmaporthetes lunensis . , chasmaporthetes . , europe . , miocene , north america . , pachycrocuta brevirostris . , prehistoric animals
life reconstruction of a pair of chasmaporthetes gangsriensis . image credit : julie selan .
chasmaporthetes gangsriensis is the smaller among plio - pleistocene eurasian species of the genus .
comparative measurements ( mm ) of african fossil chasmaporthetes and lycyaenops maxillary premolars . a
chasmaporthetes was named by hay ( 1921 ) . its type is chasmaporthetes ossifragus . it was assigned to hyaenidae by hay ( 1921 ) , geraads ( 1997 ) and flynn ( 1998 ) .
by the early pliocene , chasmaporthetes crossed the bering land bridge to america , where they evolved into chasmaporthetes ossifragus , becoming north america’s only native hyena before being brought to extinction by the end of the ice age .
partial left maxilla of chasmaporthetes gangsriensis . scale bar – 20 mm . image credit : tseng zj et al .
the new fossils of chasmaporthetes , including partial lower jaws , maxillae , and toe bones , were collected from the pliocene deposits of the zanda basin in southwestern tibetan plateau in 2009 , and identified as a new species , chasmaporthetes gangsriensis .
tooth enamel structure in the hyaenid chasmaporthetes lunensis lunensis from the late pliocene of italy , with implication on feeding behaviour .
artist’s depiction of chasmaporthetes–the hunting hyena . it was a fast runner and an important carnivore on 4 continents during the pliocene .
chasmaporthetes gangsriensis lived in what is now tibetan plateau during the middle pliocene , 4 . 9 - 4 . 1 million years ago .
( pdf ) tooth enamel structure in the hyaenid chasmaporthetes lunensis lunensis from the late pliocene of italy , with implication on feeding behaviour .
berta , a . 1981 . the plio - pleistocene hyaena chasmaporthetes ossifragus from florida . journal of vertebrate paleontology , 1 : 341 - 356 .
the limb bones of chasmaporthetes were long and slender like those of cheetahs , and its cheek teeth were slender and sharp - edged like those of a cat . it is likely that chasmaporthetes probably inhabited open ground and was a daytime hunter . in europe , the species c . lunensis competed with the
“ chasmaporthetes gangsriensis is morphologically the most basal pliocene chasmaporthetes in china , and is consistent with the ‘out of tibet’ hypothesis for some pleistocene megafauna” , said dr zhijie jack tseng of natural history museum of los angeles county and university of southern california , who is the lead author of a paper published in the journal of vertebrate paleontology .
chasmaporthetes kani , new species from china : with remarks on phylogenetic relationships of genera within the hyaenidae ( mammalia , carnivora ) . american museum novitates ; no . 2632
cursorial hyenas ( chasmaporthetes ) , also known as hunting or running hyenas , are an extinct genus of hyenas endemic to north america , africa , and asia during pliocene and pleistocene periods .
chasmaporthetes kani , new species from china : with remarks on phylogenetic relationships of genera within the hyaenidae ( mammalia , carnivora ) . american museum novitates ; no . 2632 | henry galiano - urltoken
details - chasmaporthetes kani , new species from china : with remarks on phylogenetic relationships of genera within the hyaenidae ( mammalia , carnivora ) . american museum novitates ; no . 2632 - biodiversity heritage library
an illustration of the skull of chasmaporthetes lunensis from spain and a full restoration of the hyena ' s dog - like head . art by mauricio antón and modified by antón et al . , 2007 .
the oldest representatives of chasmaporthetes appeared in the late miocene of greece , chad , and china . however , the genus was already widespread at the time of their earliest record around 7 million years ago .
berta , a . ( 1981 ) . the plio - pleistocene hyaena chasmaporthetes ossifragus from florida journal of vertebrate paleontology , 1 ( 3 ) , 341 - 356 doi : 10 . 1080 / 02724634 . 1981 . 10011905
this prehistoric animal is an animal very curious . due to the different characteristics was an animal uncommon , and is called chasmaporthetes , although not really a distinct species , it really is the family of a peculiar group of hyenas .
chasmaporthetes has often been called the
hunting hyena .
by itself , this isn ' t a very helpful moniker . despite their reputation as scavengers , for example , spotted hyenas actually obtain much of their meat through hunting , with carrion making up as little as five percent of their diet in some populations . even so , the nickname is meant to highlight the long - legged and relatively graceful build of chasmaporthetes . this was a hyena well - adapted to running and chasing down prey .
. . . however , a few morphological features that are preserved prompt some modification of qiu et al . ' s ( 2004 ) emended diagnosis of the genus chasmaporthetes : they indicated that the infraorbital foramen in species of chasmaporthetes is located dorsally over the p4 anterior root , or immediately dorsorostral of it ; in c . gangsriensis , the foramen is situated dorsal of the posterior p3 root , a more plesiomorphic feature in their framework ( ) . by comparison , the infraorbital foramen is situated between p3 and p4 in the complete c . lunensis skull from la puebla de valverde ( antónant´antón et al . , 2006 ) , being more posterior than c . gangsriensis ; in correspondence , the orbit is also further rostrally placed in chasmaporthetes gangsriensis , and the ventral - most rim of the orbit is just above the p4 paracone , not the p4 metastyle as in the la puebla de valverde specimen . the morphology shown in c . gangsriensis therefore expands the range of variation in relative p4 - infraorbital foramen position in chasmaporthetes . . . .
chasmaporthetes is a genus that lived in europe , asia , africa and north america about 15 million years ago during the miocene . in short , a sort of prehistoric animal that i thought you would like to know if you love animals , prehistoric or not .
. . . pliocene faunas of europe yield two species of hyaenids : the more common in the paleontological record pliocrocuta perrieri and the quite rare so - called hunting hyaena chasmaporthetes lunensis . chasmaporthetes apparently represented a wolf - like ecotype , although its dentition and jaws were still quite robust and well adapted to bone crushing ( galiano and frailey , 1977 ; ferretti 1999 ; anton et al . , 2006 ) . anton et al . ( 2006 ) suggested that c . lunensis was an active group hunting predator . . . .
discussion . the associated dnm 3 specimens represent a partial left pes of a hyaenid that is both metrically and morphologically distinct from both crocuta and parahyaena . the metatarsal and phalanges conform to previously described morphology of chasmaporthetes elements , but are more gracile than the more robust north american taxon ( berta , 1981 ; tseng et al . , 2013 ) . at present , the drimolen makondo specimens have not been directly compared to postcranial elements associated with craniodental remains assigned to percrocuta ( adcrocuta ) australis ( l 13033 ; hendey , 1974 ; 1978 ) , reassigned to chasmaporthetes australis ( werdelin and solounias , 1990 ) , that include a third and fifth metatarsal and seven phalanges ( of undescribed position ; neither photographs nor measurements of these specimens have been published ) . at present , the known biogeography of chasmaporthetes in south africa during the terminal pliocene and early pleistocene would suggest these remains most likely represent chasmaporthetes nitidula ; it is the only currently recognised species in the genus documented in the cradle of humankind karstic deposits , and two craniodental specimens are known from the drimolen main quarry ( o’regan and menter , 2009 ) . at a minimum , these specimens represent one of only two sets of chasmaporthetes postcrania in africa , the first attributed postcrania for the genus known from a cradle locality , and potentially the first c . nitidula postcrania in the record .
werdelin , l . , a . turner and n . solounias . 1994 . studies of fossil hyaenids : the genera hyaenictis gaudry and chasmaporthetes hay , with consideration of the hyaenidae of langabaanweg , south africa . zoological journal of the linnean society 111 : 197 - 217 .
kurten , b . , & werdelin , l . ( 1988 ) . a review of the genus chasmaporthetes hay , 1921 ( carnivora , hyaenidae ) journal of vertebrate paleontology , 8 ( 1 ) , 46 - 66 doi : 10 . 1080 / 02724634 . 1988 . 10011683
. . . the relative gracility and less massive dentition of chasmaporthetes lunensis suggest reduced scavenging habits ( turner , 1992b ) . according to antón et al . ( 2006 ) , it could be a social predator , as a single individual would be unable to subdue and kill medium - and large - sized prey because of its long muzzle and relatively gracile forelimbs . however , croitor and brugal ( 2010 ) qualify chasmaporthetes as a
wolf - like
ecotype , retaining strong bone - crushing capabilities , and consider this hyaenid a solitary predator . . . .
although many researchers stressed that the cheek teeth of the several chasmaporthetes species were better suited to shearing than crushing , this did not mean that the hyenas were incapable of cracking bone . after all , modern spotted hyenas are formidable hunters as well as accomplished bone - crackers , and a complete skull of the european species c . lunensis found in spain exhibited patterns of tooth wear consistent with breaking open bones . much like the modern spotted hyena , chasmaporthetes was a hunter that could make full use of a carcass , as well as scavenge when the opportunity presented itself .
. . . < 90 ? . this morphology is characteristic of the three extant bone - cracking hyenas and the extinct pachycrocuta , clearly distinguishing the studied specimens from chasmaporthetes , which displays less steeply folded bands and more closely packed with one another ( ferretti , 1999 ) . . . .
yet chasmaporthetes was not unique to north america . the species hay described - c . ossifragus - turned up in deposits between 3 and 1 . 5 million years old at other sites in mexico , the american southwest , and florida , but other species of the same genus were also discovered in europe , africa and asia . rather than being entirely unique to north america , chasmaporthetes had initially evolved elsewhere and eventually spread over the bering land bridge into north america . it was a long - lived variety of hyena that was just part of a radiation of now - extinct forms .
the left upper jaw ( maxilla ) of a chasmaporthetes found in florida ( facing left ) . the preserved teeth , from the left , are the third incisor , canine , and premolars 2 - 4 . ( the second incisor and first premolar were missing . ) from berta , 1981 .
hunter - schreger bands ( hsb ) and the outer enamel surface of the teeth of the hunting hyena chasmaporthetes lunensis lunenesis del campana , from olivola ( late pliocene , italy ) has been analysed . as in the bone crushing hyenas ( crocuta , hyaena , and pachycrocuta ) c . i . lunensis possesses complex hsb , with both horizontal and vertical components . however the less intense folding of the hsb and the smooth outer enamel surface suggest a more primitive structure than that in the bone crushing hyenas . this is consistent with the hypothesis that chasmaporthetes was not an extremely specialized bone eater .
tseng , j . z . , li , q . , and wang , x . 2013 . a new cursorial hyena from tibet , and analysis of biostratigraphy , paleozoogeography , and dental morphology of chasmaporthetes ( mammalia , carnivora . j ournal of vertebrate paleontology , 33 : 1457 - 1471 .
tseng zj et al . 2013 . a new cursorial hyena from tibet , and analysis of biostratigraphy , paleozoogeography , and dental morphology of chasmaporthetes ( mammalia , carnivora ) . journal of vertebrate paleontology 33 ( 6 ) : 1457 - 1471 ; doi : 10 . 1080 / 02724634 . 2013 . 775142
ty - book ti - chasmaporthetes kani , new species from china : with remarks on phylogenetic relationships of genera within the hyaenidae ( mammalia , carnivora ) . american museum novitates ; no . 2632 ur - urltoken py - 1977 au - frailey , david . au - galiano , henry . er -
though the north american chasmaporthetes specimens were differentiated from other species by their relatively robust limbs , deep lower jaws , and slightly curved tooth rows , their general anatomy was consistent with finds in the old world . these hyenas were hunters that ran down their prey . this might have put them in competition with speedy cats that evolved about 1 . 8 million years ago - namely north america ' s false cheetah miracinonyx - but some researchers stressed caution in drawing conclusions about diet on the basis on anatomy alone . in a 1994 paper about chasmaporthetes and hyaenictis , paleontologists lars werdelin , alan turner , and nikos solounias wrote :
the scientists turned out to be wrong . based upon the computerized models created for the study , tseng and colleagues concluded that the skull of
chasmaporthetes was just as adapted for handling stress incurred during bone - cracking behavior as the modern crocuta [ spotted hyena ] .
yet this does not necessarily mean that the extinct hyena hunted and fed in the exact same way that spotted hyenas do . chasmaporthetes still had comparatively slender teeth better suited to cutting through fresh than breaking through bone , and so the authors of the paper suggest that the stress - absorbing features of the skull might be adaptations to withstanding forces generated by struggling prey . the way the hyenas caught prey has to be taken into account , and future studies that model stresses created by prey may help scientists identify skull characteristics related to hunting rather than fracturing bone . chasmaporthetes certainly could have been a competent bone - cracker , but whether the anatomy of its skull can be attributed to this kind of behavior is another question .
zhijie tseng , mauricio antón , and manuel salesa published the results of their study in paleobiology earlier this year . like many other bone - cracking carnivorans , the skull of chasmaporthetes exhibited a mosaic of features that gave it a powerful bite - a short snout , massive premolars , a large sagittal crest on the top of the skull for muscle attachment , deep lower jaws , and teeth modified at the microscopic level to resist fracturing . these traits are present to relatively lesser or greater degrees among carnivorous mammals adapted to crack bones , but the scientists proposed that the skull of chasmaporthetes would have had suffered greater stress while breaking through bone than the skull of a modern spotted hyena .
. . . european hyaenictis have generally been included in the hyaenid ecomorphotype 4 ( cursorial meat - and bone - eating hyenas , including among others chasmaporthetes and lycyaena ) , instead of ecomorphotype 5 ( transitional bonecracking hyenas , like belbus werdelin and solounias , 1991 , and metahyaena viranta and werdelin , 2003 ) or 6 ( fullydeveloped bone - cracking hyenas such as adcrocuta ; werdelin 1996 ; werdelin and solounias 1996 ; turner et al . 2008 ) . however , some previous studies have favored some degree of durophagy in cursorial miocene hyaenids such as chasmaporthetes , in spite of noting their lesser bone - cracking abilities compared to fully developed bone - crackers ( kurtén and werdelin 1988 ; werdelin et al . 1994 ; ferretti 1999 ; antón et al . 2006 ) . this was further confirmed by a finite elements analysis of the skull of chasmaporthetes ( tseng et al . 2011 ) , according to which this taxon would have been able to the resist the masticatory stresses generated by a bone - cracking diet ( although less efficiently than crocuta ) . . . .
. . . european hyaenictis have generally been included in the hyaenid ecomorphotype 4 ( cursorial meat - and bone - eating hyenas , including among others chasmaporthetes and lycyaena ) , instead of ecomorphotype 5 ( transitional bonecracking hyenas , like belbus werdelin and solounias , 1991 , and metahyaena viranta and werdelin , 2003 ) or 6 ( fullydeveloped bone - cracking hyenas such as adcrocuta ; werdelin 1996 ; werdelin and solounias 1996 ; turner et al . 2008 ) . however , some previous studies have favored some degree of durophagy in cursorial miocene hyaenids such as chasmaporthetes , in spite of noting their lesser bone - cracking abilities compared to fully developed bone - crackers ( kurtén and werdelin 1988 ; werdelin et al . 1994 ; ferretti 1999 ; antón et al . 2006 ) . this was further confirmed by a finite elements analysis of the skull of chasmaporthetes ( tseng et al . 2011 ) , according to which this taxon would have been able to the resist the masticatory stresses generated by a bone - cracking diet ( although less efficiently than crocuta ) . . . .
tseng , z . , antón , m . , & salesa , m . ( 2011 ) . the evolution of the bone - cracking model in carnivorans : cranial functional morphology of the plio - pleistocene cursorial hyaenid chasmaporthetes lunensis ( mammalia : carnivora ) paleobiology , 37 ( 1 ) , 140 - 156 doi : 10 . 1666 / 09045 . 1
it should be noted , however , that our suggestion of adaptations towards a cursorial and active hunting mode of life for chasmaporthetes does not mean that it did not scavenge , nor that it was necessarily in competition with extremely cursorial hunters such as acinonyx [ true cheetahs ] and miracinonyx . however , relative to other hyaenas [ , ] it has clearly evolved in that direction .
werdelin , l . , turner , a . , & solounias , n . ( 1994 ) . studies of fossil hyaenids : the genera hyaenictis gaudry and chasmaporthetes hay , with a reconsideration of the hyaenidae of langebaanweg , south africa zoological journal of the linnean society , 111 ( 3 ) , 197 - 217 doi : 10 . 1111 / j . 1096 - 3642 . 1994 . tb01483 . x
for decades , most of what was hypothesized about the north american hyena was based on chasmaporthetes specimens found elsewhere . jaw fragments and teeth were all that had been recovered in the southwest and mexico . this changed in 1981 , when annalisa berta described parts of the skull and limbs of the hyena found in florida . no single skeleton was found , but by looking at the accumulated pieces berta determined that the florida hyenas had strongly - muscled , flexible upper arms and long , slightly curved tibiaewhich indicated that the hyenas had very powerful hindlimbs . the fact that premolars of chasmaporthetes resembled the meat - slicing teeth of the spotted hyena rather than the crushers of the brown and striped hyenas was taken as an indication that it was more of a predator than a scavenger , and a fleet - footed one at that .
@ book { bhl167948 , title = { chasmaporthetes kani , new species from china : with remarks on phylogenetic relationships of genera within the hyaenidae ( mammalia , carnivora ) . american museum novitates ; no . 2632 } , url = urltoken note = urltoken publisher = { } , author = { frailey , david . and galiano , henry . } , year = { } , pages = { 0 } , }
unfortunately , no one has yet found a complete skull from an american hyena . perhaps some lucky paleontologist will , but , for now , the skull from spain provides the best available information about the possible feeding habits of these
hunting hyenas .
i can only imagine a pack of chasmaporthetes chasing down a prehistoric pronghorn through the grasslands - a scene that still echoes in africa , but occurred during a distant part of north america ' s prehistory .
. . . ( turner et al . 2008 ) . thus , ips62078 differs from chasmaporthetes ( see kurtén and werdelin 1988 ; werdelin and solounias 1991 ; werdelin and turner 1996 ; antón et al . 2006 ; tseng et al . 2013 ) in the presence of p1 , the relatively broader cheek teeth , the less developed accessory cusps in the premolars , the mesial and distal accessory cusps of the premolars aligned with the main cusp ( instead of lingually tilted ) , the presence of metaconid ( even if vestigial ) , the tricuspid m1 talonid ( chasmaporthetes lacks the hypoconulid and sometimes the hypoconid ) , and the presence of m2 . compared to lycyaena , the dentition of ips62078 is larger , somewhat stouter ( i . e . , it displays relatively broader cheek teeth ) , and is further characterized by smaller and more indistinct premolar accessory cusps ( werdelin 1988 ; werdelin and solounias 1991 ) . . . .
. . . the enigmatic chasmaporthetes clusters with hyaenidae but is more distinct than the other species in its mandible shape ( fig . 7 ) . this taxon was less capable of cracking bones than the extant crocuta , hyaena , and parahyaena , which cluster with pachycrocuta and pliocrocuta , confirming previous inferences on its paleobiology ( berta , 1981 ; kurténkurt´kurtén and werdelin , 1988 ; ferretti , 1999ferretti , , 2007 antónant´antón et al . , 2006 ) . . . .
. . . the enigmatic chasmaporthetes clusters with hyaenidae but is more distinct than the other species in its mandible shape ( fig . 7 ) . this taxon was less capable of cracking bones than the extant crocuta , hyaena , and parahyaena , which cluster with pachycrocuta and pliocrocuta , confirming previous inferences on its paleobiology ( berta , 1981 ; kurténkurt´kurtén and werdelin , 1988 ; ferretti , 1999 ferretti , , 2007antónant´antón et al . , 2006 ) . . . .
hyenas diverged from the stem feliform in the oligocene and transitioned through six ecomorph groups from civet - like insectivores / omnivores through generalised jackal - like meat and small bone eaters to the fully developed modern bone crushers . 4 this middle phase is well represented by the four hyaenid species that have been described from the south african fossil site of langebaanweg ( lbw ) e quarry 14 - 17 ( figure 1 ) : chasmaporthetes australis , hyaenictitherium namaquensis , hyaenictis hendeyi and ikelohyaena abronia . 4 , 18
acinonyx pardinensis , and may have preyed on the small bourbon gazelle ( gazella borbonica ) and the chamois antelope ( procamptoceras brivatense ) . the north american c . ossifragus was similar in build to c . lunensis , but had slightly more robust jaws and teeth . it may have preyed on the giant marmot paenemarmota , and competed with the far more numerous borophagus diversidens . a study on the genus ' premolar intercuspid notches indicate that chasmaporthetes was likely hypercarnivorous rather than durophagus as its modern cousins ( excluding the aardwolf ) are .
. . . the same value in tasso and serengeti , because of the occurrence in the tasso assemblage of the hunting hyaena chasmaporthetes lunensis ( del campana , 1914 ) . this peculiar hyaenid was , in fact , characterized by a dental specialization to bone consumption lesser developed than in the
hyper - scavenger
pachycrocuta , or in the extant bone - crackers hyaena and crocuta ( ferretti , 1999 ferretti , , 2007 rook et al . , 2004 ) . the same reasoning can be addressed concerning the category
carcasse destroyers
offig . . . .
the lbw hyaenids , unlike their modern bone - cracking counterparts , were poorly adapted to bone cracking . 1 - 18 , 40 , 41 ikelohyaena abronia , which has traditionally been regarded as the most durophagous of the lbw species , 4 , 22 , 38 possessed derived features in skull stress distribution and levels of strain energy similar to those of crocuta crocuta , but importantly lacked the bite force of the extant species . 42 this fossil species belonged to a clade of early or transitional bone - cracking hyenas that also included other early genera such as palinhyaena , belbus , hyaenid sp . e and leecyaena . 4 chasmaporthetes australis and h . hendeyi on the other hand , fell within a clade of hypercarnivorous hyenas that also included the extinct genus lycyaena . the extinct lycyaena - chasmaporthetes - hyaenictis clade , which emerged as habitats opened up during the terminal miocene , was unique in that its members exhibited post - cranial adaptations indicative of advanced cursoriality . 4 , 30 hyaenictitherium namaquensis was a late - occurring member of the ictitherines , a clade of canid - like hyenas that were prominent during the middle miocene and began dying out at the end of the miocene .
but paleontologists have been able to do more than propose hypotheses on the gross anatomy of the chasmaporthetes bones alone . the rediscovery of the skull from spain - which had been found in the 1970 ' s and studied by dolores soria for her doctoral thesis before fading from view until 2007 - finally provided scientists with an opportunity to see what kind of stresses and strains the hyena ' s skull was capable of withstanding . paleontologists have carried out these tests for a variety of bone - crunching mammals over the years , and so there was already plenty to compare the c . lunensis skull with .
. . . the hyaenids proteles cristata ( j050607t02 , zjt comparative collection , prepared dry skull ) , ictitherium sp . ( hmv 0163 ) , chasmaporthetes lunensis [ 55 , 72 ] , ikelohyaena abronia [ 65 ] , parahyaena brunnea ( mvz 117842 , museum of vertebrate zoology , university of california , berkeley ) , and crocuta crocuta [ 55 ] were analyzed . the fossil and modern canids analyzed included mesocyon coryphaeus , microtomarctus conferta , epicyon haydeni , borophagus secundus , and canis lupus from tseng and wang [ 52 ] , and lycaon pictus from tseng and stynder [ 65 ] . . . .
fossil species of the family hyaenidae represent a wide range of ecomorphological diversity not observed in living representatives of this carnivoran group . among them , the cursorial meat - and - bone specialists are of particular interest not only because they were the most cursorial of the hyaenids , but also because they were the only members of this family to spread into the new world . here we conduct a functional morphological analysis of the cranium of the cursorial meat - and - bone specialist chasmaporthetes lunensis by using finite element modeling to compare it with the living crocuta crocuta , a well - known bone - cracking carnivoran .
for this analysis we only considered specimens preserving sufficient morphology to be identified at least to order level and are not presenting data on indeterminate mammalian elements or fragments . we have also not undertaken an analysis of the 554 primate craniodental and postcranial specimens , as this collection has recently been partially analysed ( see nieuwoudt , 2014 ) . we have also not duplicated the primary description of the main quarry carnivores of o’regan & menter ( 2009 ) , but we have re - evaluated the previously published dinofelis and chasmaporthetes specimens because of their bearing on biochronological interpretations and present data on carnivore specimens catalogued since publication of that study .
chasmaporthetes , also known as hunting or running hyena , is an extinct genus of hyena endemic to north america , africa , and asia during the pliocene - pleistocene epochs , living from 4 . 9 mya—780 , 000 years ago , existing for approximately 4 . 12 million years . the genus probably arose from eurasian miocene hyenas such as thalassictis or lycyaena , with c . borissiaki being the oldest known representative . the species c . ossifragus was the only hyena to cross the bering land bridge into the americas , and ranged over what is now arizona and mexico during blancan and early irvingtonian land mammal ages , between 5 to 1 . 5 million years ago .
in 1921 oliver hays was the curator of a museum that eventually became the smithsonian . one day , he was examining fossils that had been collected from the val verde copper mine in anita , arizona 20 years earlier . barnum brown , a world renowned fossil collector at a time when fossil hunters were celebrities , had labeled 1 specimen as “cat . ” this curious specimen consisted of just a lower jaw . after much pain - staking comparisons with other specimens , oliver hay concluded the jaw belonged to an extinct species of hyena that he named chasmaporthetes ossifragus . the paleontological community doubted hay had correctly identified the specimen . it was nearly 50 years before enough evidence had accumulated to verify hay’s conclusion that hyenas once roamed north america .
description . in addition to the four indeterminate hyaenid craniodental and postcranial specimens described by o’regan & menter ( 2009 ) , three further elements can be attributed to the family . the dn 2864 scapula preserves a very large infraglenoid tubercle relative to the size of the preserved glenoid fossa and is derived from hyaenid smaller than extant parahyaena brunnea thunberg , 1820 . the dn 2973 right p4 preserves the complete protocone and lingual aspect of the anterior accessory cusp and paracone with little occlusal wear . there is some buccolingual swelling on the paracone that is shared with extant p . brunnea p4s and the sk 327 p . brunnea p4 from swartkrans member 1 ( although smaller than the latter ) , and there is no evidence for buccolingual compression or a ridge leading to the trigon basin as in crocuta crocuta . this specimen , along with the dn 2321 p4 fragment described by o’regan & menter ( 2009 : 344 ) , support the occurrence of a hyaenid individual distinct from lycyaenops and chasmaporthetes in the main quarry deposits . in contrast , the dn 3281 right p2 preserves the anterior margin of the crown and half of the anterior root that lacks the cingulum distinctive for p . brunnea dentition . the specimen preserves strong labial ridging and a flattened lingual aspect , and is too buccolingually expanded to represent chasmaporthetes or lycyaenops . the closest extant morphological match is crocuta crocuta ; minimally suggesting an additional hyaenid distinct from l . silberbergi , c . nitidula , and the dn 2973 / 2321 individuals .
chasmaporthetes ossifragus , known as the hunting hyena , lived in north america from about 4 . 9 million years bp to ~ 780 , 000 bp , making it an important large carnivore of the pliocene and early pleistocene . it had long strong legs and is thought to have been an active hunting animal that chased its prey down , possibly in packs . although it possessed a powerful bite and did eat some bone , it didn’t eat as much bone as the modern extant spotted hyena ( crocuta crocuta ) . it lived alongside other large predators such as the bone eating dog ( borophagus diversidens ) , the giant cheetah ( acinonyx ) , the scimitar - toothed cat ( dinobastis ) , and the dirk - toothed cat ( megantereon ) . it likely preyed upon horses , llamas , camels , peccaries , deer , pronghorn , marmots , and other small mammals .
description . dnm 3 - 4 is a fourth metatarsal preserving the proximal articular surface and a small portion of the diaphysis ( fig ure 6 . 1–5 ) . while the articular surface is robust , the proximal end is distinctly mediolaterally compressed relative to extant hyaenids ( e . g . , crocuta and hyaena ; table 5 ) but follow the proportions and morphology of the single previously described chasmaporthetes ossifragus third metatarsal ( uf 27372 ; berta , 1981 ; table 5 ) . the medial and lateral aspects preserve the paired ( dorsal , triangular ; plantar , rectangular ) articular facets for the third and fifth metatarsals , respectively . in slight contrast to the uf 27372 specimen , the lateral dorsal articular facet is more robust and extends further towards the plantar surface on dnm 3 - 4 . this extension nearly converges with the plantar facet to close off the shallow concavity that receives the base of the fifth metatarsal .
most of the initial identifications brown had made in his notes turned out to be correct . the mammals appeared to represent a time in the not - too - distant past when forms still living in north america today mixed with lineages that have since been extirpated . what stood out were two parts of
cat
jaw that didn ' t correspond to any known feline . with the exception of a tiny part of a molar , the crowns of the teeth were entirely gone , but together the two pieces comprised most of the mandible of a carnivorous mammal . though this was not much to work with , hay was able to determine that the jaw had belonged to a hyena - a type of carnivore never before found in north america - and he named it chasmaporthetes ossifragus .
the name of this [ genus ] makes allusion to the grand canyon ,
hay wrote ,
whose beginning this animal may have witnessed .
fossil remains of chamaporthete s have been found at 4 sites in florida , 3 sites in arizona , 2 sites in north texas , 2 sites in mexico , and 1 site in new mexico . it is the only species of hyena known to have crossed the bering landbridge to north america where it was likely more widespread than its fossil record would indicate–there just aren’t many pliocene - aged fossil sites in the midwest and northeast . a similar species , chasmaporthetes lunensis , lived in europe , asia , and africa during the same time period , and it may actually be the same species . this means the hunting hyena was 1 of the most wide ranging and successful large carnivores ever . the reason for its extinction is unknown , but it disappeared at a time when forests were replacing grassland and desert habitats . archaic species of wolves ecologically replaced american hyenas , but it’s not known whether they outcompeted them or simply took advantage of an extinction that occurred due to other causes .
a remarkably complete , well - preserved skull of the pliocene hunting hyaena chasmaporthetes lunensis from la puebla de valverde ( teruel ) is described . this exceptional find allows us to define more clearly the cranial morphology of this taxon , and to put its morphological features into evolutionary and functional perspective . compared with the sympatric hyaenid pliocrocuta perrieri , c . iunensis has a higher and wider rostrum , cheek teeth placed more anteriorly in relation to the orbits , a lower zygoma and a dorsally concave saggital crest , all pointing to a lesser development of the muscle temporalis and a greater emphasis on canine bite over premolar crushing bite . horizontal wear on the premolars , caudal extension of the frontal sinus and other features indicate that scavenging or at least complete utilization of carcasses was a behavioural trait of the hunting hyaena . overall , the available evidence suggests that c . iunensis was an active , group hunting predator of medium - sized ungulates , able to fully utilize car - casses but less dedicated to scavenging than the contemporary species p . perrieri .
although africa ' s spotted hyena is the most iconic member of the group , there are three other species of living hyena : the striped hyena , the brown hyena , and the aardwolf . they are all that ' s left of a once - more widespread and diverse lineage that traces back about 20 million years to small , civet - like forms such as plioviverrops . now , based upon appearances alone , it might seem reasonable to lump all four modern hyenas into a single evolutionary subgroup tied together by common ancestry , but this wouldn ' t be right . the aardwolf , a strange and small hyena that primarily eats termites , is actually a relatively distant cousin of other modern hyenas and represents what some of the early members of the group may have been like . likewise , the extinct giant pachycrocuta was a closer relative of the spotted hyena than the striped and brown hyenas , and there was an entire array of extinct forms with no living representatives . chasmaporthetes was among these now - extinct hyena lineages , and it was significantly different from the hyenas we know today .
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the carnivoran specimens provide a more constrained depositional age . remains of the genus chasmaporthetes have been recovered across african localities , with c . nitidula described from south african deposits ranging from sterkfontein jacovec cavern and members 2 and 4 ( < 2 . 46–2 . 01 ma ; herries et al . , 2013 ) to as late as swartkrans member 3 ( sometime between 1 . 3 and 0 . 6 ma ; herries , curnoe & adams , 2009 ) . however , lycyaenops silberbergi has been recovered from a far narrower range of terminal pliocene and early pleistocene deposits of laetoli ( as lycyaenops cf . l . silberbergi ; werdelin & dehghani , 2011 ) in east africa and sterkfontein in south africa ( ∼3 . 8–2 . 02 ma ; turner , 1990 ; turner , 1997 ; werdelin & lewis , 2005 ; werdelin & peigné , 2010 ; herries & shaw , 2011 ; herries & adams , 2013 ) . a single mandibular specimen ( sk 300 ) of lycyaenops silberbergi has been described from swartkrans member 1 ( ewer , 1955b ) , and although questions over provenience has been raised it is still considered derived from these deposits ( see discussion in turner , 1987b ) ; this effectively establishes an lad for the species within these deposits of 1 . 96 - 1 . 80 ma ( pickering et al . , 2011a ; herries & adams , 2013 ) .
the drimolen palaeocave system has been actively excavated since the 1990s and has produced a demographically - diverse record of paranthropus robustus , early homo , and a substantial record of early pleistocene bone tools ; all recovered from the main quarry , a single fossil bearing deposit within the system . early surveys identified an isolated solution - tube 55 m west of the main quarry filled with decalcified matrix and fossils ( the drimolen makondo ) . recent excavations into the makondo have started to address the geology , depositional history , and faunas of the deposits ; particularly whether the makondo represents a distant uneroded part of the main quarry infill , or deposits in - filled into a separate entrance within the same system . we present the first description of fossil macromammalian faunas from the makondo , excavated 2013 - 2014 . a total of 531 specimens were recovered , 268 ( 50 . 5 % ) of which are taxonomically identifiable . the resulting list is diverse given the sample size and includes primate and carnivore taxa frequently recovered at other terminal pliocene and earlier pleistocene localities , as well as more rarely encountered species and elements like the first postcranial remains of the hunting hyaenid ( chasmaporthetes ? nitidula ) from the cradle . while some of the makondo fauna overlaps with taxa recovered from the main quarry , there are key differences between the described samples that may reflect differences in the age of the deposits and / or taphonomic processes between these deposits at drimolen .
large carnivores structure the character of scavenging opportunities in any environment . in pliocene and early pleistocene africa there were three large sabertooth cats sympatric with the ancestors of the modern felid community , and scavenging opportunities were presumably different from those in modern africa . an understanding of a possible scavenging niche for early hominids must articulate knowledge gained from actualistic research with detailed reconstructions of extinct carnivore paleoecology . contrasting skeletal and dental anatomy suggest that sabertooths and modern felids were ecologically distinct . evidence from functional morphology and fossil associations elucidates the distinctions . sabertooth incisor and carnassial morphology indicates extreme flesh specialisation and lack of bone - crushing ability . sabertooth cranial morphology and fossil associations suggest a specialisation upon very large prey . the post - cranial morphology of sabertooths indicates a dense woodland and forest habitat preference . this implies that two distinct large carnivore communities existed in the pliocene and early pleistocene : a mixed and open habitat community composed of the ancestors of the extant carnivore community plus chasmaporthetes , and a closed habitat community dominated by the sabertooths . scavenging opportunities in the closed habitat community would have been much better than in more open habitats . homo habilis with its inferred arboreal abilities could have passively scavenged very effectively in dense woodlands and forests . paleoenvironmental and paleontological data indicate that these closed habitats shrunk after 1·7 million years ago and the sabertooths probably went extinct in sub - saharan africa . homo habilis perhaps increasingly utilised more open habitats and would have been forced to confront large predators to gain adequate scavenging returns . archaeological data of stone tool raw materials and site placement suggests that early hominids switched from an emphasis on dense woodland habitats to increased usage of more open habitats after 1·6 million years ago . confrontational scavenging along with increased predation pressure may have contributed to the morphological changes associated with the shift to homo erectus .
n2 - large carnivores structure the character of scavenging opportunities in any environment . in pliocene and early pleistocene africa there were three large sabertooth cats sympatric with the ancestors of the modern felid community , and scavenging opportunities were presumably different from those in modern africa . an understanding of a possible scavenging niche for early hominids must articulate knowledge gained from actualistic research with detailed reconstructions of extinct carnivore paleoecology . contrasting skeletal and dental anatomy suggest that sabertooths and modern felids were ecologically distinct . evidence from functional morphology and fossil associations elucidates the distinctions . sabertooth incisor and carnassial morphology indicates extreme flesh specialisation and lack of bone - crushing ability . sabertooth cranial morphology and fossil associations suggest a specialisation upon very large prey . the post - cranial morphology of sabertooths indicates a dense woodland and forest habitat preference . this implies that two distinct large carnivore communities existed in the pliocene and early pleistocene : a mixed and open habitat community composed of the ancestors of the extant carnivore community plus chasmaporthetes , and a closed habitat community dominated by the sabertooths . scavenging opportunities in the closed habitat community would have been much better than in more open habitats . homo habilis with its inferred arboreal abilities could have passively scavenged very effectively in dense woodlands and forests . paleoenvironmental and paleontological data indicate that these closed habitats shrunk after 1·7 million years ago and the sabertooths probably went extinct in sub - saharan africa . homo habilis perhaps increasingly utilised more open habitats and would have been forced to confront large predators to gain adequate scavenging returns . archaeological data of stone tool raw materials and site placement suggests that early hominids switched from an emphasis on dense woodland habitats to increased usage of more open habitats after 1·6 million years ago . confrontational scavenging along with increased predation pressure may have contributed to the morphological changes associated with the shift to homo erectus .
ab - large carnivores structure the character of scavenging opportunities in any environment . in pliocene and early pleistocene africa there were three large sabertooth cats sympatric with the ancestors of the modern felid community , and scavenging opportunities were presumably different from those in modern africa . an understanding of a possible scavenging niche for early hominids must articulate knowledge gained from actualistic research with detailed reconstructions of extinct carnivore paleoecology . contrasting skeletal and dental anatomy suggest that sabertooths and modern felids were ecologically distinct . evidence from functional morphology and fossil associations elucidates the distinctions . sabertooth incisor and carnassial morphology indicates extreme flesh specialisation and lack of bone - crushing ability . sabertooth cranial morphology and fossil associations suggest a specialisation upon very large prey . the post - cranial morphology of sabertooths indicates a dense woodland and forest habitat preference . this implies that two distinct large carnivore communities existed in the pliocene and early pleistocene : a mixed and open habitat community composed of the ancestors of the extant carnivore community plus chasmaporthetes , and a closed habitat community dominated by the sabertooths . scavenging opportunities in the closed habitat community would have been much better than in more open habitats . homo habilis with its inferred arboreal abilities could have passively scavenged very effectively in dense woodlands and forests . paleoenvironmental and paleontological data indicate that these closed habitats shrunk after 1·7 million years ago and the sabertooths probably went extinct in sub - saharan africa . homo habilis perhaps increasingly utilised more open habitats and would have been forced to confront large predators to gain adequate scavenging returns . archaeological data of stone tool raw materials and site placement suggests that early hominids switched from an emphasis on dense woodland habitats to increased usage of more open habitats after 1·6 million years ago . confrontational scavenging along with increased predation pressure may have contributed to the morphological changes associated with the shift to homo erectus .
abstract =
large carnivores structure the character of scavenging opportunities in any environment . in pliocene and early pleistocene africa there were three large sabertooth cats sympatric with the ancestors of the modern felid community , and scavenging opportunities were presumably different from those in modern africa . an understanding of a possible scavenging niche for early hominids must articulate knowledge gained from actualistic research with detailed reconstructions of extinct carnivore paleoecology . contrasting skeletal and dental anatomy suggest that sabertooths and modern felids were ecologically distinct . evidence from functional morphology and fossil associations elucidates the distinctions . sabertooth incisor and carnassial morphology indicates extreme flesh specialisation and lack of bone - crushing ability . sabertooth cranial morphology and fossil associations suggest a specialisation upon very large prey . the post - cranial morphology of sabertooths indicates a dense woodland and forest habitat preference . this implies that two distinct large carnivore communities existed in the pliocene and early pleistocene : a mixed and open habitat community composed of the ancestors of the extant carnivore community plus chasmaporthetes , and a closed habitat community dominated by the sabertooths . scavenging opportunities in the closed habitat community would have been much better than in more open habitats . homo habilis with its inferred arboreal abilities could have passively scavenged very effectively in dense woodlands and forests . paleoenvironmental and paleontological data indicate that these closed habitats shrunk after 1·7 million years ago and the sabertooths probably went extinct in sub - saharan africa . homo habilis perhaps increasingly utilised more open habitats and would have been forced to confront large predators to gain adequate scavenging returns . archaeological data of stone tool raw materials and site placement suggests that early hominids switched from an emphasis on dense woodland habitats to increased usage of more open habitats after 1·6 million years ago . confrontational scavenging along with increased predation pressure may have contributed to the morphological changes associated with the shift to homo erectus .
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full reference : o . p . hay . 1921 . descriptions of species of pleistocene vertebrata , types or specimens of most of which are preserved in the united states national museum . proceedings of the united states national museum 59 : 599 - 642
parent taxon : hyaenidae according to r . a . stirton and w . g . christian 1940
has the earth ' s sixth mass extinction already arrived ?
this question - the title of a review published in last week ' s nature - immediately sparked a flurry of news reports about an impending ecological catastrophe on a scale not seen in 65 million years . we are not witnessing a die - off as severe as any of the
big five
prehistoric cataclysms just yet , but the continued , gradual loss of threatened species is bringing us ever closer to the tipping point . we can either take action and stave off this large - scale disaster , or simply wait for it to happen .
of course , extinction is the inevitable fate of every species . species do not only disappear during worldwide disasters . extinction greatly outpaces the origin of new species on a global scale during rare crises , but the character of life on earth is constantly shifting as some lineages dwindle as others speciate and continue to change .
you do not need to look very far back into the fossil record to appreciate the ongoing ebb and flow of life . when i traveled through utah and wyoming for the first time in the summer of 2009 , i saw the iconic elk , pronghorn , bison , and bears that symbolize the american wilderness . but these animals are only the inheritors of a landscape that has been inhabited by a changing cast of megamammals for millions of years . the great mammoths , ground sloths , deep - snouted bears , and sabercats of pleistocene north america represent a lost world that disappeared only yesterday in geological terms , but they , too , were preceded by what we might perceive as strange assemblages of creatures , including north america ' s only hyena .
in 1901 , workmen at the val verde copper mines in anita , arizona were prospecting around an ancient limestone fissure when they discovered a cache of ancient mammal bones . the fragments were badly broken , but the bone material itself was well - preserved , and a number of specimens were soon collected by b . c . bicknell . the site also piqued the interest of globe - trotting fossil hunter barnum brown , who collected a few additional specimens in 1904 . pieces of prehistoric horses and camels were found among those of pronghorn , squirrels , groundhogs , and pocket gophers , as well as what appeared to be jaw fragments from a large cat .