Nimravidae
family of mammals in the order Carnivora / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Nimravidae is an extinct family in the Carnivora. It is a type of cat-like mammal in the suborder Feliformia. They lived in North America, Europe, and Asia from the Eocene through the Miocene epochs, 42–20 million years ago (mya). They lasted for about 22 million years.[1]
Quick Facts Scientific classification, Genera ...
Nimravidae | |
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Hoplophoneus mentalis | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Suborder: | Feliformia |
Family: | †Nimravidae Cope, 1880 |
Genera | |
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Although some nimravids physically resembled the sabre-toothed cats of genus Smilodon, they were not closely related, but evolved a similar form through parallel evolution.
The ancestors of nimravids and felids diverged from their common ancestor about 50 mya. Most had muscular, low-slung, catlike bodies, but with shorter legs and tails.