New Species of Ancient Bear-Dog Identified in Spain

Key Points:

• Paleontologists have discovered a new species of amphicyonid, named Paludocyon moyasolai, from two fossil specimens found in the Vallès-Penedès Basin near Barcelona, Spain, dating back about 15.9 million years to the Middle Miocene epoch.
• Paludocyon moyasolai is distinguished by unique molar proportions, including a broader second upper molar and an unusually large third upper molar, traits not seen in other members of the genus Paludocyon.
• Phylogenetic analysis suggests that P. moyasolai represents the earliest and most primitive branch of Paludocyon and supports the idea that the genus Cynelos is paraphyletic, with some North American species possibly evolving independently from European relatives.
• The findings provide new insights into the evolutionary history and geographic diversification of amphicyonids, a group of extinct carnivores known as bear-dogs, which were important predators across North America, Europe, and Africa during the Cenozoic Era.
• The discovery and analysis are detailed in a study published in the Journal of Mammalian Evolution by Dr. Jorge Morales and colleagues.