Adelphailurus

• North America

Adelphailurus is a fossil genus cats that occurred during the late Miocene in western North America. The only known species is Adelphailurus kansensis that is primarily known for a maxillary fragment from the Edson Quarry in the U.S. state of Kansas.

Features

Fossil material from Adelphailurus has been found only sparse and fragmentary. The calculated to the genus findings suggest a comparable with today's Puma size. The dentition indicates the genus as a primitive member of the Metailurini. So Adelphailurus had two premolars in the upper jaw, a feature that is found only in early cats. The canine had both a front and a rear cutting edge. Postcranial skeletal elements are barely survived, so are so far from the remains of the humerus, radius, ulna and isolated phalanges.

Way of life

Paleoecological studies showed that Adelphailurus ( called lokalstratigraphisch Hemphilium ) in the late Miocene million before 9 to 4.9 years lived in a savannah or steppe-like open country that was inhabited by many large herbivores. The habitat was similar to today's Serengeti, but without reaching their high biodiversity.

System

A found in South Africa maxilla fragment, which was described as Felis obscura, has despite the geographical distance surprisingly large similarities with the findings of pine Adelphailurus. There are, however, differences in the dentition.