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Extinct genus of carnivores From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dinocrocuta is an extinct genus of prehistoric hyena. It lived in Asia and Africa during the Miocene epoch. It had very strong jaws that were able to crush bones.[1][2]
| Dinocrocuta Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| D. gigantea skull, National Natural History Museum of China | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Suborder: | Feliformia |
| Family: | Hyaenidae |
| Genus: | †Dinocrocuta Schmidt-Kittler, 1976 |
| Species | |
| |
The largest species, D. gigantea, is known to have reached head-to-body length of 1.9 m (6.2 ft) for the largest individuals, with total skull lengths of 43 cm (17 in).[3][unreliable source?] In terms of weight, it was originally stated to have weighed up to 380 kg (840 lb).[4] However, a later study estimated its body mass around 200 kg (440 lb) for specimen with skull length of 32.2 cm (12.7 in).[1] The other species were smaller, but still quite large compared to hyena species alive today.
Dinocrocuta had a large range and ruled most of the Eurasia and some parts of Africa. D. gigantea ranged from Central China to Spain,[5] and encompassed areas in between, like Mongolia, India, Pakistan,[6] Iran, Turkey,[7] Bulgaria,[8] and Greece.[9][10] D. algeriensis managed to make its way to North Africa, and D. senyureki originated in the Tibet region.[11]
Dinocrocuta was an exceptionally powerful predator and scavenger, capable of preying on animals much larger than itself. Though it is currently unknown if Dinocrocuta was solitary or social, it was probably an able hunter of such animals as the tusked rhinoceros Chilotherium. Chilotherium, despite its great size, was vulnerable to the giant feliform, particularly when a pregnant female was giving birth, or was injured or sick. A skull and jaw from a female Chilotherium bears the distinctive bite marks on the forehead from a Dinocrocuta's teeth, indicating that the rhino was part of the carnivore's diet. The regrowth of bone on the rhino's injuries also indicate that the Dinocrocuta's attempt at predation failed and that the rhinoceros fought off her attacker, managing to escape and heal.[12]
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