Arctocyonidae

Arctocyon

• Europe
• North America

The Arctocyonidae are an extinct group of mammals that are in the fossil record from the Paleocene and occurred in Europe and North America. They were considered the most primitive group of the so-called Stammhuftiere ( condylarths ), a non- monophyletic and no longer recognized taxon.

Features

The Arctocyonidae resembled little bear in her appearance and were probably also omnivores. Her skull was elongated and top reinforced with a bone comb. The TMJ was sitting low on the skull. Canines were large, the lower jaw is greater than that of the upper jaw. When the mouth is closed, they attacked in a tooth gap between the upper canines and premolars. The molars had low crowns, similar to today's bears. There was no tendency to develop a scissor bite, as it did today predatory mammals. The legs of the animals were relatively short, the tail was long. The toes wore claws.

Genera

• Prolatidens, an archaic Arctocyonide.
• Arctocyon, ursine, from Europe.
• Arctocyonides, smaller and slimmer than Arctocyon.
• Chriacus, a slightly -built agile form.
• Landenodon
• Mentoclaenodon