Placental Carnivores: Past and Present

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Placental Carnivores Past and Present

• Ilse Kotzee
• Student 2456349
• Landscape Ecology and People
• University of the Western Cape

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Placental Carnivore Definition

• Placental refers to a mammal who gives birth to
  live young, which is nourished throughout the
  pregnancy by placenta a specialized organ
  attached to the uterus wall. (www.britannica.com/e
  b/article-9027844)
• Carnivore refers to any animal whose diet
  consists mainly out of meat. (www.barteleby.com/ca
  rnivore.html )
• Presently there are about 260 placental
  carnivores (http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivora
  )

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Creodonts and Carnivores

• Placental carnivores represented by two orders
• The now extinct Creodonts
• The very successful true Carnivores

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Creodonts

• Primitive carnivorous mammals
• Long and low scull with primitive brain
• Head large in proportion to body
• Short and heavy limbs long tail sharp clawed
  toes

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creodonta
Hyeanodon gigas
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Carnivores

• Dominated from late Eocene up to present day
• Large brain case
• Good sense of smell
• Well developed canines
• Shearing and crushing teeth
• Strong body capable of powerful movement

http//en.wikipedia.org/wikia/Carnivora
Lion
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Adaptations

• Differ from insectivores in having special pairs
  of upper and lower carnassials
• Dagger like canines used for stabbing, main
  weapon for killing prey
• Strong incisor teeth used for nipping

www.shsu.edu/bio_mlt/Carnivor.html
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Carnivore evolutionary timeline
www.shsu.edu/bio_mlt/Carnivor.html
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The Oxyaenids

• Characteristic long body, short limbs and very
  long tail
• Can be compared to martens and cats of today
• Diet consisted out of birds, eggs, small mammals
  and most likely still insects
• Capable of climbing trees

www.paleocene-mammals.de/predators.htm
Reconstruction of the cat-like creodont Oxyaena
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The Hyaenodontids

• Resembled hyena's and dogs of present time
• Reached very large sizes
• Had longer limbs, so were better runners
• Active predators, able to compete with true
  carnivores for short time
• Much more abundant than Oxyaenids

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Extinction of Creodonts

• A change in temperature may have favored the
  early carnivores
• No match for the true carnivores with greater
  intelligence and more specializations

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Miacids

• Seen as most primitive representative of True
  Carnivores
• Still had primitive features such as a low
  scull, elongated body and tail, and short limbs,
  but larger brain
• Diet consisted of small animals living in dense
  undergrowth or in trees
• Resembled modern day weasels

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The Fessipeds

• Dominated from late Eocene till present time
• They are the familiar and well known dogs, cats,
  raccoons, bears, wolves etc.
• Order divided into two groups Cannoids and
  Feloids
• Division based on anatomical differences

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Super family Canoidea

• The early Cannoids kept much of their primitive
  characteristics
• Did show some elongation of limbs and feet
• Carnassials more specialized for shearing then
  in Miacids
• The brain case was also bigger

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Canidae

• Has long legs, of all carnivores most adapted for
  running
• They are social hunters that rely on speed to
  chase and pin down prey
• Possesses an elongated muzzle and bushy tail

www.shsu.edu/bio_mlt/Carnivore.html    
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Ursids

• In the Miocene dogs started evolving into larger
  heavier carnivores
• This could be where the ancestry of bears can be
  traced
• Like dogs bears are very adaptable and widely
  distributed
• Dentition more suitable for omnivory

Panda
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Procyonids

• The Oligocene gave rise to yet another Cannoid
• A small, climbing carnivore with hand like
  forepaws, and flexible limbs
• Differs from dogs in that they walk on the soles
  of their feet
• Like dogs they have 5 toes ending in non
  retractable claws

Kinkajou
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Mustelids

• Of all carnivores this group shows the widest
  range of adaptive radiation
• Group consists out of primitive mustelines, the
  mellivorines, melines, mephitines and the
  lutrines
• Can be identified by their tapering body and
  short legs
• Each groups diet and behavior is equally
  diverse

Skunk
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Viverridae

• Included in the Feloid carnivores , is one of the
  oldest carnivores still living today the civets
• They first made their appearance in the Eocene
  and lower Oligocene age
• The small, forest living genet s ancestry can be
  closely linked with that of the civets

Genet
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Herpestidae

• Recently split from the civet stock due to
  technical details in anatomy
• Least known and studied of all carnivores
• Small carnivore, with short legs and a long tail

Mongoose
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Hyaenidae

• Very large and heavy descendant of the civet
• Hyena has heavy skull, with strong enlarged teeth
  for cracking bones
• Legs are elongated for faster running.
• Highly specialized carnassials with almost no
  molars

Hyena
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Nimravidae

• The evolution of cats mirrors that of the Hyena
  only occurring earlier
• A very successful group that very rapidly evolved
  into the modern day cats we know today

http//images.google.co.za/images?qcarnivoreevol
utionsvnum
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Felidae Cats

• Includes the lynxes, lions, leopards, jaguarundi,
  tigers, bobcats, mountain lions, ocelots and
  cheetahs
• Members of this group are the ultimate carnivores
• A distinguishing feature is their four toes
  ending in retractable claws
• Top class hunters, with acute sense of smell,
  hearing and excellent balance

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Felidae Cats contd.

• Two groups separates the Felidae into the big
  cats (genus Panthera) and the small cats (genus
  Felids)
• The ability to purr distinguishes these two
  groups
• Unable to run for long distances they are
  excellent sprinters

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The Pennipeds

• Includes the sea lions, walruses and seals
• First appeared during Oligocene to Miocene
• Made the move from land to water
• Four feet are transformed into paddles with
  webbing between toes
• Large size, with thick blubber

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Ottaridae

• Represented by eared seals and sea lions
• Males larger then females
• Able to dive and remain submerged for extended
  periods of time
• Fur has even black color
• Dentition specialized for eating fish

Seal
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Odobenidae

• Represented by walrus
• A strong carnivore with little to no hair and no
  external ears
• Diet consists out of mollusks taken from sea
  bottom with lips and tusks
• Sociable and with groups of 1000 and more also
  polygamous

http//www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/walrus.htm
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Phocidae

• Of all the aquatic carnivores this group is most
  abundant
• Known to be monogamous as well as polygamous
• Hind limbs specialized for swimming cannot be
  used on land
• Mottled fur that is spotted or banded

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Newly discovered carnivores

• This order is very progressive, and even today
  new members are being discovered
• The cat-fox is a potentially new carnivore
• Discovered in Indonesia (Borneo)
• The mammal is slightly larger then a cat, with
  red fur, a long tail and hind legs longer then
  the front legs (http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat-
  fox)

http//www.herkimer.edu/communityed/cogar/yacovell
a/pages/Fox_jpg.htm
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References

• Colbert E.H., Morales (M) (1991) Evolution of the
  Vertebrates, 4th Ed. New York Wiley-Liss (Chapter
  25) www.mun.ca/biology/scarr/5405_Colbert_Morales
  _1991.htm
• www.shsu.edu/bio_mlt/Carnivor.html
• www.paleocene-mammals.de/predators.htm
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivora
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creodonta
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat-fox
• http//www.sinc.sunysb.edu/paleo.amnh.org/...c1.ht
  ml

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References

• http//www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/seals.htm
• http//www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/walrus.htm
• http//www.herkimer.edu/communityed/cogar/yacovell
  a/pages/Fox_jpg.htm