Lycyaena

Lycyaena
Temporal range: Miocene
Skull
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Hyaenidae
Genus: Lycyaena
Hensel, 1863

Lycyaena is an extinct genus of terrestrial carnivore in the family Hyaenidae.[1] Lycyaena was a cursorial hunting hyaena as opposed to full-time scavenger. It has been suggested by R. F. Ewer[2] that Lycyaena may be a possible ancestor to today's aardwolf (Proteles cristatus).

  1. ^ Turner, A.; Antón, M.; Werdelin, L. (2008). "Taxonomy and evolutionary patterns in the fossil Hyaenidae of Europe". Geobios. 41 (5): 677. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2008.01.001.
  2. ^ R. F. Ewer, The Carnivores (1973)