-797x638.jpg "Patagosmilus")
Patagosmilus
202201202201Patagosmilus (†Patagosmilus (Forasiepi & Carlini 2010))
Order: Sparassodonta
Family: Thylacosmilidae
Time period: lived in South America during the Mid Miocene (~15.5–11.8 Ma)
Size: Weight estimated at up to 60 kg.
Patagosmilus is an extinct genus of meat-eating metatherian mammal of the family Thylacosmilidae, that lived in the Middle Miocene in South America. The only known species of Patagosmilus is P. goini, named in honor of the Argentine paleontologist Francisco Goín. Like other representatives of this family, such as Thylacosmilus atrox and Anachlysictis gracilis, it was characterized by its elongated fangs of the upper jaw, similar to the well known "sabertooth cats" (Machairodontinae), of which they were ecological equivalents. Despite being geologically younger than Anachlysictis, the morphology of Patagosmilus (including a bowed molar row and extremely long, "saber-like" upper canines) suggests that this species was more closely related to Thylacosmilus than Anachlysictis, though in other respects this species is less specialized than Thylacosmilus. This species was first described and named in 2010 by Analía Forasiepi and Alfredo Carlini. This is the first representative of Thylacosmilidae with remains found in Patagonia, and the first genus recognised, along with Thylacosmilus and Anachlysictis that is an indisputable member of this group.
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Patagosmilus (†Patagosmilus (Forasiepi & Carlini 2010))
Order: Sparassodonta
Family: Thylacosmilidae
Time period: lived in South America during the Mid Miocene (~15.5–11.8 Ma)
Size: Weight estimated at up to 60 kg.
Patagosmilus is an extinct genus of meat-eating metatherian mammal of the family Thylacosmilidae, that lived in the Middle Miocene in South America. The only known species of Patagosmilus is P. goini, named in honor of the Argentine paleontologist Francisco Goín. Like other representatives of this family, such as Thylacosmilus atrox and Anachlysictis gracilis, it was characterized by its elongated fangs of the upper jaw, similar to the well known "sabertooth cats" (Machairodontinae), of which they were ecological equivalents. Despite being geologically younger than Anachlysictis, the morphology of Patagosmilus (including a bowed molar row and extremely long, "saber-like" upper canines) suggests that this species was more closely related to Thylacosmilus than Anachlysictis, though in other respects this species is less specialized than Thylacosmilus. This species was first described and named in 2010 by Analía Forasiepi and Alfredo Carlini. This is the first representative of Thylacosmilidae with remains found in Patagonia, and the first genus recognised, along with Thylacosmilus and Anachlysictis that is an indisputable member of this group.
