Prosansanosmilus is an extinct genus of barbourofelid that lived in Europe during the Late Miocene epoch (16.9—7.246 mya), existing for approximately 9.654 million years.[1] It contains Prosansanosmilus peregrinus, which died out in the Miocene epoch.
Taxonomy
Prosansanosmilus was named in 1980 by Heizmann et al. with the type speciesProsansanosmilus peregrinus.[2] It was assigned to Nimravinae by Heizmann et al. (1980); to Felidae by Carroll (1988); to Barbourofelinae by Bryant (1991); and to Barbourofelidae by Morlo et al. (2004) and Morlo (2006).
A second species, P. eggeri from the Middle Miocene locality of Sandelzhausen, Germany, was described in 2004. It differed from other European barbourofelids in having a more plesiomorphic ("ancestral") morphology, with less developed sabretooth adaptations and being smaller. However, the species is stratigraphically younger than P. peregrinus; and probably part of the African faunal immigration into Europe during the Middle Eocene.[3]
Distribution
P. peregrinus lived in MN4 of France and Germany.[3] Two fossils of P. peregrinus have been found in France and another two have been found in Germany. P. peregrinus was a ground-dwelling creature.[2]
Morphology
Like all barbourofelids, Prosansanosmilus was very muscular, short legged and probably walked plantigrade (flat-footed). There are only two species of Prosansanosmilus, which lived in Spain, France and Germany during the Late Miocene epoch.
Time range
P. peregrinus is thought to have lived between 16.9 and 16 Mya. New evidence suggests that P. peregrinus lived 20–16 Mya. German scientists excavated a fossil of P. peregrinus dating 20 Mya. Other scientists think that P. peregrinus lived between 16.9 and 15.7 Mya.
^ abHeizmann, E. P. J.; Ginsburg, L.; Bulot, C. (1980). "Prosansanosmilus peregrinus, ein neuer machairodontider Felide aus dem Miocän Deutschlands und Frankreichs" [Prosansanosmilus peregrinus, a new machairodontid felid from the Miocene of Germany and France]. Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde Ser. B. (in German). 58: 1–27.
