A newly discovered fossil of a prehistoric hyaenodont, named Bastetodon syrtos, has provided scientists with their best look yet at the mysterious creature’s powerful bite and unique features. The fossil skull, found in Egypt’s Fayum Basin, dates back to around 30 million years ago.
Hyaenodonts were an ancient group of four-legged carnivores that roamed Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America between 56 and about 5 million years ago. Most were small, comparable to medium-sized dogs, but the largest species weighed over 3,000 pounds and were larger than polar bears.
The Bastetodon fossil shows a meat-cleaving bite, with teeth that were suited for cutting through flesh. The shape and arrangement of the predator’s teeth suggest that it was adapted for shearing bites, similar to those used by modern cats and dogs. This is an example of convergent evolution, where different species develop similar traits in response to similar environmental pressures.
Researchers have estimated that Bastetodon would have been around 60 pounds in life, making it a hypercarnivore that focused on consuming muscle, viscera, and softer parts of carcasses rather than chewing on or cracking open bones. Its body mass would have been comparable to that of a striped hyena or small female leopard.
The fossil also provides clues about the evolution of Bastetodon and its place in the family tree of hyaenodonts. It is believed that Bastetodon likely hunted smaller creatures and scavenged on the carcasses of larger ones, but the exact hunting strategies are still unknown due to a lack of associated fossil remains.
The disappearance of hyaenodonts remains a mystery, with various theories suggesting that they may have been outcompeted by more familiar carnivores or that environmental changes made them vulnerable to extinction. Further research is needed to uncover the truth behind the fate of these fascinating predators.
Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/fossil-skull-hyaenodont-predator