The genus name Tchadailurus comes from Chad, the country where the original fossils were found, and the Greek -ailurus, which means cat. The species name adei comes from the word for "small" in Goran, a local language.[1]
Taxonomyedit
Tchadailurus adei was described based on fossils found in 2018 in a late Miocene-dated locality in Chad. It placed in the subfamily Machairodontinae due to having dental features similar to those of later saber-toothed cats, but the relatively primitive features and age of the fossils made it impossible to assign the species to a specific tribe.[1]
A 2023 study found that T. adei grouped inside the genus Yoshi and suggested recombining the species as Y. adei, rendering Tchadailurus a synonym.[2]
Tchadailurus was described based on a single specimen that consisted of a partial skull and skeleton (including several vertebrae and parts of the legs and paws), likely from a single individual. Similar in size to a lynx, Tchadailurus adei had a longer tail and the "flattened" canine teeth characteristic of the machairodonts.[1]
The primitive features of Tchadailurus adei indicate that it could be ancestral to later machairodont lineages.[1]
Paleoecologyedit
In the Djurab desert in northern Chad in central Africa, Tchadailurus seems to have lived alongside fellow machairodonts Lokotunjailurus, Amphimachairodus and early representatives of the genus Megantereon as well as four other cat species. In addition to these other cats, animals such as crocodiles, three-toed horses, fish, monkeys, hippos, aardvarks, turtles, rodents, giraffes, snakes, antelopes, pigs, mongooses, foxes, hyenas, otters, honey badgers and the hominid Sahelanthropus dwelled here, providing ample food. Based on these and other fossils, it is theorized that the Djurab was once the shore of a lake, generally forested close to the waters with savannah-like areas some distance away.[3] The great number of cat species in the environment indicates that there was significant room and available niches for multiple species of large felids to coexist.[1][4]
Referencesedit
^ abcdede Bonis, Louis; Peigné, Stéphane; Mackaye, Hassane Taisso; Likius, Andossa; Vignaud, Patrick; Brunet, Michel (2018). "New sabre toothed Felidae (Carnivora, Mammalia) in the hominid-bearing sites of Toros Menalla (late Miocene, Chad)" (PDF). Geodiversitas. 40 (3): 69–86. doi:10.5252/geodiversitas2018v40a3.
^Jiangzuo, Qigao; Rabe, Caitlin; Abella, Juan; Govender, Romala; Valenciano, Alberto (2023). "Langebaanweg's sabertooth guild reveals an African Pliocene evolutionary hotspot for sabertooths (Carnivora; Felidae)". iScience: 107212. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.107212.
^"Sabertooth Cats May Have Feasted on Early Humans". Retrieved 15 May 2018.
^Switek, Brian. "Paleo Profile: The Chad Cat". Retrieved 15 May 2018.
November 27, 2023
tchadailurus, genus, machairodontine, felid, from, late, miocene, chad, africa, temporal, range, late, miocene, preꞒ, nscientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, chordataclass, mammaliaorder, carnivorasuborder, feliformiafamily, felida. Tchadailurus is a genus of machairodontine felid from the late Miocene of Chad Africa TchadailurusTemporal range Late Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg NScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder CarnivoraSuborder FeliformiaFamily FelidaeSubfamily MachairodontinaeGenus TchadailurusBonis et al 2018Type species Tchadailurus adeiBonis et al 2018 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Taxonomy 2 1 Phylogeny 3 Description 4 Paleoecology 5 ReferencesEtymology editThe genus name Tchadailurus comes from Chad the country where the original fossils were found and the Greek ailurus which means cat The species name adei comes from the word for small in Goran a local language 1 Taxonomy editTchadailurus adei was described based on fossils found in 2018 in a late Miocene dated locality in Chad It placed in the subfamily Machairodontinae due to having dental features similar to those of later saber toothed cats but the relatively primitive features and age of the fossils made it impossible to assign the species to a specific tribe 1 A 2023 study found that T adei grouped inside the genus Yoshi and suggested recombining the species as Y adei rendering Tchadailurus a synonym 2 Phylogeny edit Machairodontinae Metailurini Tchadailurus adei Smilodontini Machairodontini HomotheriniDescription editTchadailurus was described based on a single specimen that consisted of a partial skull and skeleton including several vertebrae and parts of the legs and paws likely from a single individual Similar in size to a lynx Tchadailurus adei had a longer tail and the flattened canine teeth characteristic of the machairodonts 1 The primitive features of Tchadailurus adei indicate that it could be ancestral to later machairodont lineages 1 Paleoecology editIn the Djurab desert in northern Chad in central Africa Tchadailurus seems to have lived alongside fellow machairodonts Lokotunjailurus Amphimachairodus and early representatives of the genus Megantereon as well as four other cat species In addition to these other cats animals such as crocodiles three toed horses fish monkeys hippos aardvarks turtles rodents giraffes snakes antelopes pigs mongooses foxes hyenas otters honey badgers and the hominid Sahelanthropus dwelled here providing ample food Based on these and other fossils it is theorized that the Djurab was once the shore of a lake generally forested close to the waters with savannah like areas some distance away 3 The great number of cat species in the environment indicates that there was significant room and available niches for multiple species of large felids to coexist 1 4 References edit a b c d e de Bonis Louis Peigne Stephane Mackaye Hassane Taisso Likius Andossa Vignaud Patrick Brunet Michel 2018 New sabre toothed Felidae Carnivora Mammalia in the hominid bearing sites of Toros Menalla late Miocene Chad PDF Geodiversitas 40 3 69 86 doi 10 5252 geodiversitas2018v40a3 Jiangzuo Qigao Rabe Caitlin Abella Juan Govender Romala Valenciano Alberto 2023 Langebaanweg s sabertooth guild reveals an African Pliocene evolutionary hotspot for sabertooths Carnivora Felidae iScience 107212 doi 10 1016 j isci 2023 107212 Sabertooth Cats May Have Feasted on Early Humans Retrieved 15 May 2018 Switek Brian Paleo Profile The Chad Cat Retrieved 15 May 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tchadailurus amp oldid 1180908370, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
