Proteles amplidentus

Proteles amplidentus
Temporal range: Late Pliocene – Early Pleistocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Hyaenidae
Genus: Proteles
Species:
P. amplidentus
Binomial name
Proteles amplidentus
Werdelin & Solounias, 1991

Proteles amplidentus is an extinct species of hyena closely related to the aardwolf. It lived during the Plio-Pleistocene in South Africa, where fossils have been found in the Swartkrans dated to as recently as 1.5 million years ago.[1]

Proteles amplidentus was similar to the modern aardwolf in most respects but had less reduced cheek teeth.[2]

  1. ^ Kingdon, Jonathan (2014). Mammals of Africa: Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 282. ISBN 9781408189948.
  2. ^ Paleontology and Geology of Laetoli: Human Evolution in Context Volume 2: Fossil Hominins and the Associated Fauna. Springer Netherlands. 2011. p. 220. ISBN 9789048199624.