Sparassodonta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sparassodonta Fossil range: Paleocene-Pleistocene
Thylacosmilus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Metatheria Order: †Sparassodonta Ameghino, 1894
Families
†Mayulestidae †Hathliacynidae †Borhyaenidae †Proborhyaenidae †Prothylacinidae †Thylacosmilidae

Sparassodonta is an extinct order of carnivorous metatherians mammals native to South America. They were once considered to be true marsupials, but are now thought to be a sister taxon to them.^[1] A number of these mammalian predators closely resemble placental predators that evolved separately on other continents, and are cited frequently as examples of convergent evolution.

They were first described by Florentino Ameghino, from fossils found in the Santa Cruz beds of Patagonia. Genera include Borhyaena, Thylacosmilus, Prothylacinus, Amphiproviverra, etc.

[edit] References

•  "Sparassodonta". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.