Barbourofelidae
Barbourofelis loveorum
The Barbourofelidae family is an extinct line of feline predators. They were formed in the early Miocene and survived with their latest genre Barbourofelis until the late Miocene. Initially, they were regarded as subfamily of Nimravidae, but they apply today as a separate family. The main reason for this is the large time interval of 25 million years between the onset of primitive Nimravids in the Middle Eocene and the first appearance of primitive Barbourofeliden in the lower Miocene.
The Barbourofelidae have their origin apparently in Africa, where the oldest genres Afrosmilus, Syrtosmilus and Ginsburgsmilus appear in the lower Miocene. Especially the late genera remember with their extremely elongated upper canines strongly to the saber-toothed cats ( Machairodontinae ), with which they are but only distantly related.
Genera
The following species are known which is Barbourofelis, particularly long had upper canines most advanced. One of the more primitive forms is Prosansanosmilus.
- Prosansanosmilus: Eurasia; early to middle Miocene
- Sansanosmilus: Eurasia; middle to late Miocene
- Syrtosmilus: Only one known from North Africa; early Miocene
- Ginsburgsmilus: Africa; early Miocene
- Afrosmilus: Africa, Europe; early to middle Miocene
- Vampyrictis: North Africa; late Miocene
- Barbourofelis: North America, Asia (Turkey ); to latest Miocene