Nimravus

Nimravus is an extinct genus of "false" saber-toothed cat in the family Nimravidae, that was endemic to North America during the Oligocene epoch 33.3—26.3 mya, existing for approximately 7 million years . Not closely related to true saber-toothed cats, they evolved a similar form through parallel evolution. Fossils have been uncovered in the western U.S. from Oregon to southern California and Nebraska.

N. brachyops skull with canines piercing the leg bone of another specimen

Nimravus
Temporal range: Oligocene, 33.3–26.3 Ma
N. brachyops skull
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: †Nimravidae
Subfamily: †Nimravinae
Genus: †Nimravus
Cope, 1879
Type species
Nimravus brachyops
Cope, 1879
Species
  • N. brachyops Cope, 1879
  • N. intermedius Filhol, 1872

Description

Nimravus was around 1.2 metres (4 ft) in body length. With its sleek body, it may have resembled the modern caracal, although it had a longer back and more dog-like feet with partially retractile claws. It probably hunted birds and small mammals, ambushing them like modern cats, rather than chasing them down. Nimravus competed with other false sabre-tooths such as Hoplophoneus.[1]

Pathology

A Nimravus skull, found in North America, had been pierced in the forehead region, the hole exactly matching the dimensions of the sabre-like canine of Eusmilus. This particular individual of Nimravus apparently survived this encounter, as the wound showed signs of healing. Another Nimravus fossil from Nebraska was described in 1959 by paleontologist Loren Toohey, and comprises a Nimravus skull with saber-teeth embedded into the scapula of another Nimravus, indicating a fatal incidence of intra-specific combat.[2]

Restoration of Nimravus (far left) and other animals from the Turtle Cove Formation

References
  1. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 222. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
  2. The Dakota Badlands Used to Host Sabertoothed Pseudo-Cat Battles

Media related to Nimravus at Wikimedia Commons

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