Lycyaena
Extinct genus of carnivores
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lycyaena is an extinct genus of terrestrial carnivore in the family Hyaenidae.[1] It has been suggested by R. F. Ewer that Lycyaena may be a possible ancestor to today's aardwolf (Proteles cristatus).[2] Lycyaena lived in Eurasia and North Africa during the Late Miocene.[3]
| Lycyaena | |
|---|---|
| |
| Skull of Lycyaena | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Hyaenidae |
| Genus: | †Lycyaena Hensel, 1863 |
| Type species | |
| †Lycyaena dubia Zdansky, 1924 | |
| Other species | |
| Synonyms | |
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Species synonymy
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Palaeobiology
Palaeoecology
Lycyaena was a cursorial hunting hyaena as opposed to full-time scavenger.[2] Paired δ13C and δ18O analysis of Lycyaena chaeretis from the site of Cerro de los Batallones indicates that it partitioned resources with other carnivorans in its palaeoenvironment by hunting prey in more open environments compared to other predators known to have inhabited the same ecosystem.[4]
