Borhyaena
Name: Borhyaena
(Strong hyena).
Phonetic: Bor-hy-e-nah.
Named By: Florentino Ameghino - 1887.
Synonyms: Acrocyon patagonensis,
Arctodictis australis, Borhyaena excavata, Borhyaena sanguinaria,
Borhyaena zitteli, Conodonictis, Dinamyctis, Dynamictis,
Pseudoborhyaena.
Classification: Chordata, Mammalia, Metatheria,
Sparassodonta, Borhyaenidae.
Species: B. tuberata (type),
B.
macrodonta.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Up to 1.5 meters long.
Known locations: South America.
Time period: Burdigalian to Langhian of the Miocene.
Fossil representation: Many specimens.
Despite
the name, Borhyaena was in no way related to
hyenas, but was
instead one of the larger predatory marsupials that roamed South
America during the early/mid Miocene periods. As the type genus of
the Borhyaenidae, Borhyaena represents one of the
main kinds of
predators active in South America until they were ultimately replaced
by new predators such as the sabre-toothed Thylacosmilus
and larger
phorusrhacid
terror birds like Phorusrhacos
and Brontornis.
Although
sometimes described as bear like, this description is more down to
the presumed heavy build of the animal. However many remains are
incomplete which means that palaeontologists are limited to conducting
a best guess by comparing individuals to more complete remains of other
animals. A more reasonable guide is the length of Borhyaena
which is
estimated at up to one and a half meters long, something that has led
to it being described as being wolf-sized.
Borhyaena
is usually depicted as being a cursorial (ground dwelling) predator
that relied more upon ambush hunting in attacking prey. This
behaviour has been inferred from study of the proportionately short
legs that would have provided for excellent acceleration to top running
speed. However many of the potential prey animals such as litoptern
mammals like Theosodon
had long legs, and once they got going it
would have been almost impossible for Borhyaena to
catch up. Aside
from using ambush tactics, Borhyaena may have
shown a preference
towards hunting smaller litoptern like Diadiaphorus,
which would have
had less chance to escape a charging Borhyaena than
larger relatives.
Further reading
- Evolution of the Borhyaenidae, extinct South American predaceous
marsupials. - University of California Publications in Geological
Sciences 117:1-89. - L. G. Marshall - 1978.
- Functional adaptations of the postcranial skeleton of two Miocene
borhyaenoids (Mammalia, Metatheria), Borhyaena and Prothylacinus,
from
South America. - Palaeontology. 46 (6): 1213–1267. - C. Argot - 2003.
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