Hoplophoneus mentalis
5656Hoplophoneus (Hoplophoneus Cope, 1874)
Order: Carnivora
Family: Nimravidae
Dimensions: length - 1,3 m, height - 70 cm, weight - 75-160 kg
Temporal range: during the late Ecene - Early Oligocent epoch (North America)
Typical representative: Hoplophoneus mentalis Sinclair, 1921
Hoplophoneus is an extinct genus of the family Nimravidae, subfamily Nimravinae endemic to North America during the Late Eocene-Oligocene epochs (38—33.3 mya), existing for approximately 4.7 million years. Hoplophoneus was similar to cats in outward appearance, but the Nimravidae were not true cats. Bone structure was different in the small bones of the inner ear. Hoplophoneus was structured like the true cat Smilodon including the saber-like teeth but was about the size of a small leopard. It had a robust body with shorter legs. The largest known specimen was examined by Sorkin (2008) for body mass and was estimated to have a weight of 160 kg.
Hoplophoneus (Hoplophoneus Cope, 1874)
Order: Carnivora
Family: Nimravidae
Dimensions: length - 1,3 m, height - 70 cm, weight - 75-160 kg
Temporal range: during the late Ecene - Early Oligocent epoch (North America)
Typical representative: Hoplophoneus mentalis Sinclair, 1921
Hoplophoneus is an extinct genus of the family Nimravidae, subfamily Nimravinae endemic to North America during the Late Eocene-Oligocene epochs (38—33.3 mya), existing for approximately 4.7 million years. Hoplophoneus was similar to cats in outward appearance, but the Nimravidae were not true cats. Bone structure was different in the small bones of the inner ear. Hoplophoneus was structured like the true cat Smilodon including the saber-like teeth but was about the size of a small leopard. It had a robust body with shorter legs. The largest known specimen was examined by Sorkin (2008) for body mass and was estimated to have a weight of 160 kg.
