The largest hoplophonine and a complex new hypothesis of nimravid evolution
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Date
2021-10
Authors
Barrett, Paul Zachary
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nature Research
Abstract
Nimravids were the first carnivorans to evolve saberteeth, but previously portrayed as having a narrow evolutionary trajectory of increasing degrees of sabertooth specialization. Here I present a novel hypothesis about the evolution of this group, including a description of Eusmilus adelos, the largest known hoplophonine, which forces a re-evaluation of not only their relationships, but perceived paleoecology. Using a tip-dated Bayesian analysis with sophisticated evolutionary models, nimravids can now be viewed as following two paths of evolution: one led to numerous early dirk-tooth forms, including E. adelos, while the other converged on living feline morphology, tens of millions of years before its appearance in felids.
Description
9 pages
Keywords
Ecology, Evolution, Zoology, Systematic palaeontology
Citation
Barrett, P.Z. The largest hoplophonine and a complex new hypothesis of nimravid evolution. Sci Rep 11, 21078 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-00521-1