Ginsburgsmilus

Gins-burg-smy-luss.
Published on

Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

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Name

Ginsburgsmilus ‭(‬Ginsburg knife‭)‬.

Phonetic

Gins-burg-smy-luss.

Named By

Morales et al‭ ‬-‭ ‬2001.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Carnivora,‭ ‬Feliformia,‭ ‬Barbourofelidae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

G.‭ ‬napakensis‭

Size

Unavailable.

Known locations

Africa.

Time Period

Burdigalian of the Miocene.

Fossil representation

Single specimen.

In Depth

       As a barbourofelid Ginsburgsmilus is more popularly known as a‭ ‘‬false sabre-toothed cat‭’ ‬since the Barbourofelidae are not thought to related to modern cats of today beyond the fact that they are all members of the Carnivora.‭ ‬As such Ginsburgsmilus is related to other members of the Barbourofelidae such as Sansanosmilus,‭ ‬Prosansanosmilus,‭ ‬Afrosmilus and Barbourofelis amongst others.‭ ‬Ginsburgsmilus lived long before the true cats appeared on the landscape,‭ ‬but would have still filled a similar ecological niche to them.

Further Reading

Further reading- A new tribe, new genus and two new species of Barbourofelinae (Felidae, Carnivora, Mammalia) from the Early Miocene of East Africa and Spain. – Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences. 92 (01): 97–102. – J. Morales, M. J. Salesa, M. Pickford & D. Soria – 2001.

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