Crocuta dietrichi
Extinct species
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crocuta dietrichi is an extinct species of hyena closely related to the modern spotted hyena. It lived through the Plio-Pleistocene, and has been reported from as early as 4.4 million years ago[1] to as recently as 1.7 million years ago.[2] It has been found in southern, eastern, and possibly northern Africa.[3] During the Pliocene Crocuta dietrichi coexisted with the larger Crocuta eturono in eastern Africa,[4] where niche partitioning had likely occurred between the two species, with Crocuta dietrichi acting as an opportunistic predator and scavenger while Crocuta eturono was a more specialized predator of large prey.[5] Crocuta dietrichi is the earliest known member of the genus Crocuta.[2][3]
| Crocuta dietrichi Temporal range: Pliocene to Pleistocene | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Placentalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Hyaenidae |
| Genus: | Crocuta |
| Species: | †C. dietrichi |
| Binomial name | |
| †Crocuta dietrichi Petter & Howell, 1989 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Crocuta dbaa? (Geraads, 1997) | |
Characteristics
Crocuta dietrichi was slightly smaller than the spotted hyena[5] but was otherwise morphologically very similar to the modern species.[6] Crocuta dietrichi was smaller than most Crocuta.[3] Relative to other members of its genus Crocuta dietrichi had a longer talonid on its first premolar, a shorter third premolar, and a wider fourth premolar.[3]
.png){kind=small}