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Comparing the Evolution of the Extinct, Endemic Carnivorous Mammals of South America and Africa (Sparassodonts and Hyaenodonts)

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Evolution of Cenozoic Land Mammal Faunas and Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology ((VERT))

Abstract

Sparassodonts in South America and hyaenodonts in Africa present an interesting test case for comparing the evolutionary trajectories of ecologically similar clades on once isolated continents. Despite being distantly related within Mammalia (sparassodonts are metatherians and hyaenodonts are eutherians), they share many adaptations for a carnivorous diet, including an entire molar row modified into carnassials. Using data from the NOW database, we find that both groups became increasingly carnivorous during the Cenozoic, though only hyaenodonts showed a corresponding increase in body size. This difference may be due to different reproductive strategies in the two groups. Further comparisons between these groups and comparisons with modern carnivorans are necessary to determine the degree to which parallels and differences in the evolutionary trajectories of all three are related to the number of pairs of carnassialized teeth (i.e., several versus only one) and the adaptability of the distal tooth row.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the editors of this volume, C. Janis, I. Casanovas-Vilar, J. Saarinen, and L. van den Hoek Ostende for the invitation to contribute and for pulling it all together. We also thank M. Juhn for providing R code for data visualization and C. Janis for a thought-provoking discussion of possible constraints in metatherians as well as additional comments on our manuscript. The manuscript was improved thanks to critical evaluations by F. Prevosti and two anonymous reviewers, and we endeavored to incorporate as many of their suggestions as possible.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Anthony R. Friscia

  2. Division of Fossil Primates, Duke Lemur Center, 3705 Erwin Road, Durham, NC, 27705, USA

    Matthew R. Borths

  3. Department of Anatomy, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH, 44106-4930, USA

    Darin A. Croft

Authors
  1. Anthony R. Friscia
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  2. Matthew R. Borths
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  3. Darin A. Croft
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Correspondence to Anthony R. Friscia .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Català de Paleontologia, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Isaac Casanovas-Vilar

  2. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands

    Lars W. van den Hoek Ostende

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

    Christine M. Janis

  4. Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Juha Saarinen

Appendix 5.1

Appendix 5.1

List of genera and associated data. Sparassodonts that are generically distinct but have not been formally named are referred to by their specimen number (see Croft et al., 2018). Abbreviations: mL, largest molar length; Max Age, maximum age (oldest remains); Min Age, minimum age (youngest remains); RBL, relative blade length.

Genus

Order

Familya

mL

RBL

Max age

Min age

Acrocyon

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenidae

13

NA

21.1

16

Acyon

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

12

0.7583

21.1

12.4

Anachlysictis

Sparassodonta

Proborhyaenidae

13.4

0.8507

13.5

11.5

Angelocabrerus

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenoidea

14.4

NA

42

39

Arctodictis

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenidae

15.5

NA

21.1

14

Arminiheringia

Sparassodonta

Proborhyaenidae

21

0.8857

42

39

Australohyaena

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenidae

NA

0.91

29

24.5

Borhyaena

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenidae

18.1

0.8785

21.1

14

Borhyaenidium

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

6.3

0.7937

9

3.4

Callistoe

Sparassodonta

Proborhyaenidae

17

0.8706

42

39.5

Chasicostylus

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

9.6

NA

9.5

9

Chlorocyon

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenoidea

9.6

NA

37.4

35.5

Cladosictis

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

9.6

0.7604

21.1

14

Dukecynus

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenoidea

17.1

0.8246

13.5

11.5

Eomakhaira

Sparassodonta

Proborhyaenidae

12

0.9417

34

32

Hondadelphys

Sparassodonta

Hondadelphidae

7.9

0.557

13.5

11.5

IGM251108

Sparassodonta

Proborhyaenidae

8.6

0.6163

13.5

11.5

indet

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenidae

15

NA

9

7

Lycopsis

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenoidea

12.5

0.752

18

9

MPEFPV4770

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

8.6

0.8372

21

19

Nemolestes

Sparassodonta

Sparassodonta

8.9

0.6292

53

37

Notictis

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

4.9

NA

9

7

Notocynus

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

6.4

0.7188

7

4

Notogale

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

7.8

0.7692

29

24.5

Paraborhyaena

Sparassodonta

Proborhyaenidae

29

0.95

27

26

Patagosmilus

Sparassodonta

Proborhyaenidae

11.9

0.9

21.1

12.4

Patene

Sparassodonta

Sparassodonta

4.5

0.4889

53

30.3

Perathereutes

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

5.6

0.6786

18

16

Pharsophorus

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenoidea

16.3

0.865

30.8

24.5

Plesiofelis

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenoidea

18.8

0.8511

38

37

Proborhyaena

Sparassodonta

Proborhyaenidae

36.6

0.9454

29

24.5

Prothylacynus

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenoidea

15.1

0.8675

18

14

Pseudonotictis

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

NA

0.64

18

10.8

Pseudothylacynus

Sparassodonta

Borhyaenoidea

12.1

0.7438

21.1

18.6

Sallacyon

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

5.3

0.72

27

26

Sipalocyon

Sparassodonta

Hathliacynidae

6.6

0.72

21.1

14

Stylocynus

Sparassodonta

Sparassodonta

15

0.6867

9

7

Thylacosmilus

Sparassodonta

Proborhyaenidae

15.9

0.9182

9

3.4

Akhnatenavus

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

14.27

0.825

35

33.7

Anasinopa

Hyaenodonta

Teratodontinae

14.82

0.609

19

15

Apterodon

Hyaenodonta

Apterodontinae

17.21

0.6234

37

30.5

Boualitomus

Hyaenodonta

Koholinae

3.9

0.62

55.8

54

Brychotherium

Hyaenodonta

Teratodontinae

8.41

0.62

35

33.9

Buhakia

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

10.12

0.68

18

16.8

Dissopsalis

Hyaenodonta

Teratodontinae

16.48

0.67

15

9

Furodon

Hyaenodonta

Teratodontinae

8.3

0.55

49.3

45.7

Glibzegdouia

Hyaenodonta

Teratodontinae

7.7

0.48

49.3

45.7

Hyainailouros

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

45.5

0.84

22

15

Isohyaenodon

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

11.64

0.9043

20

15

Koholia

Hyaenodonta

Koholinae

8.4

0.65

51.8

51

Lahimia

Hyaenodonta

Koholinae

5.53

0.64

61.6

59.2

Leakitherium

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

20.17

0.888

17.8

15

Masrasector

Hyaenodonta

Teratodontinae

6.115

0.5638

35

30.6

Megistotherium

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

44.38

0.87

19

14

Metapterodon

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

9.22

0.78

20

15

Metasinopa

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

11.8

0.63

33

22.6

Mlanyama

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

12.4

0.879

22

22

Pterodon

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

24.09

0.7367

33.9

28.5

Quasiapterodon

Hyaenodonta

Apterodontinae

6.495

0.6052

30

28.5

Simbakubwa

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

41.95

0.9858

22.5

22

Sinopa

Hyaenodonta

Hyainailourinae

8.39

0.77

33.9

33.7

Teratodon

Hyaenodonta

Teratodontinae

7.61

0.605

23

15

Tinerhodon

Hyaenodonta

Koholinae

1.64

0.55

56.5

55.8

  1. aSparassodonts referred to Borhyaenoidea are basal members of the clade and not currently allocated to a family. Referral of thylacosmilines to Proborhyaenidae follows Engelman et al. (2020).

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Friscia, A.R., Borths, M.R., Croft, D.A. (2023). Comparing the Evolution of the Extinct, Endemic Carnivorous Mammals of South America and Africa (Sparassodonts and Hyaenodonts). In: Casanovas-Vilar, I., van den Hoek Ostende, L.W., Janis, C.M., Saarinen, J. (eds) Evolution of Cenozoic Land Mammal Faunas and Ecosystems. Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17491-9_5

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