Quito- A new species of “bear dog”, which lived in the current territory of Catalonia, Spain15.9 million years ago, was discovered as part of a research in which scientists from universities and institutions in Spain, Ecuador and South Africa participated, as revealed this Friday by the Ecuadorian National Biodiversity Institute (Inabio).
The new species, called Paludocyon moyasolai, was identified from fossils found at the Els Casots site, one of the most important paleontological sites of the European Miocene, located in the municipality of Subirats, within the province of Barcelona.
According to a statement from the Ecuadorian Inabio, the fossil remains recovered include a partially preserved skull with a large part of the dentition and an isolated lower molar.
Thanks to these specimens, researchers were able to recognize unique anatomical features that distinguish the new species from other members of the ‘paludocyon’ genus of this amphiphonid, the scientific term by which these “bear dogs” are known.
Among the most notable features is the remarkable development of its posterior molars, especially an exceptionally wide upper second molar and a larger than usual third molar. These adaptations suggest a relatively varied diet, compatible with a mesocarnivorous diet.
During the middle Miocene (between 15.9 and 11.6 million years ago), the region where the fossil was found was dominated by shallow lagoons, wetlands and warm forests, where crocodiles, tropical snakes, fish, amphibians and numerous mammals shared this ecosystem with this predator.
The species has been named ‘paludocyon moyasolai’ in honor of the Spanish paleontologist Salvador Moyà-Solà, a key figure in the development of vertebrate paleontology in Europe and responsible for important discoveries on the evolution of primates and other fossil mammals.
This species belonged to the ‘amphicyonidae, a family of large extinct carnivorous mammals that combined characteristics of dogs and bears, although they were not closely related to either of these modern groups.
The ‘amphicyonidae’ were an important component of carnivore communities in North America and Eurasia during much of the Cenozoic era.
In Africathe oldest known records of amphiphonids date from the early Miocene, and they persisted there until the end of the late Miocene, constituting the most recent known records of this group.
The Els Casots site has provided more than 5,000 vertebrate fossils and is home to one of the best preserved faunas of the European Miocene.
The excavations continue to provide new discoveries that help reconstruct the biodiversity and ecosystems of a time marked by warmer climates than today.
Among the entities that participated in the discovery are the National Museum of Natural Sciences of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) of Spain, the University of Valencia (Spain), the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain), the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain), the Inabio (Ecuador) and the Iziko South African Museum.