Fossil proves hyenas once roamed Canada's Arctic Plains

[Judi Lynn]

Fossil proves hyenas once roamed Canada's Arctic Plains
4 hours ago



A 50-year-old mystery surrounding a pair of fossilised teeth has been put to rest by new research that suggests hyenas once roamed Canada's Arctic.

A team of researchers have identified the teeth, which were found in the Yukon in the 1970s, as belonging to hyenas one million years ago.

Their findings were published on Tuesday in scientific journal Open Quaternary.

The discovery sheds new light on the evolution of the ferocious scavengers.

The two teeth were found during a paleontological expedition in Yukon's Old Crow Basin in 1973.

Indigenous explorers have been working with scientists to plumb the treasures of the region for over a century, says Grant Zazula, a palaeontologist with the Yukon government. But out of more than 50,000 specimen collected, only two that could belong to a hyena have been found.

More:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48682723

[JoeOtterbein]

1. Nope, it's not a dog! I was wondering if they were related so I check-out from Wikipedia:

[link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyena|

Hyenas or hyaenas (from Greek ὕ???? hýaina[1]) are any feliform carnivoran mammals of the family Hyaenidae /haɪˈɛnɪdiː/. With only four extant species (in three genera), it is the fifth-smallest biological family in the Carnivora, and one of the smallest in the class Mammalia.[2] Despite their low diversity, hyenas are unique and vital components of most African ecosystems.[3]

Although phylogenetically they are closer to felines and viverrids, and belong to the feliform category, hyenas are behaviourally and morphologically similar to canines in several elements of convergent evolution; both hyenas and canines are non-arboreal, cursorial hunters that catch prey with their teeth rather than claws. Both eat food quickly and may store it, and their calloused feet with large, blunt, nonretractable claws are adapted for running and making sharp turns. However, the hyenas' grooming, scent marking, defecating habits, mating and parental behaviour are consistent with the behaviour of other feliforms.[4]

more at link

[Judi Lynn]

2. Good grief! Never would have guessed, not ever. That will take some time to ponder! Thanks. n/t