Syrtosmilus

Syrtosmilus
Temporal range: Early Miocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Barbourofelidae
Tribe: Afrosmilini
Genus: Syrtosmilus
Ginsburg, 1978
Type species
Syrtosmilus syrtensis
Ginsburg, 1978

Syrtosmilus is a fossil genus of barbourofelid with a single species Syrtosmilus syrtensis, which was described based on a single specimen: an edentulous mandible that was found at the Early Miocene-aged site of Gebel Zelten in Libya. Within the Barbourofelidae, it is classified as part of the tribe Afrosmilini.[1][2]


  1. ^ Ginsburg, L. (1978). "Syrtosmilus syrtensis, n. gen., n. sp., felidé machairodontiforme du Burdigalien de Libye". Comptes Rendus Sommaire de la Société Géologique de France (in French). 2: 73–74.
  2. ^ Morales, J.; Pickford, M. (2018). "A new barbourofelid mandible (Carnivora, Mammalia) from the Early Miocene of Grillental-6, Sperrgebiet, Namibia" (PDF). Communications of the Geological Survey of Namibia. 18: 113–123.