Oxyaenidae Temporal range: 58.9–39.7 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Late Paleocene to Middle Eocene

skull of Palaeonictis occidentalis

reconstruction of Patriofelis ferox
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Mirorder:	Ferae
Clade:	Pan-Carnivora
Order:	†Oxyaenodonta Van Valen, 1971^[2]
Family:	†Oxyaenidae Cope, 1877^[1]
Type genus
†Oxyaena Cope, 1874
Subfamilies
†Machaeroidinae †Oxyaeninae †Palaeonictinae †Tytthaeninae
Synonyms
synonyms of order: Oxyaenida (Van Valkenburgh, 2007) synonyms of family: Oxyaenoidea (Osborn, 1910)

Oxyaenidae ("sharp hyenas") is a family of extinct carnivorous placental mammals.^[3] Traditionally classified in order Creodonta, this group is now classified in its own order Oxyaenodonta ("sharp tooth hyenas") within clade Pan-Carnivora in mirorder Ferae. The group contains four subfamilies comprising fourteen genera. Oxyaenids were the first to appear during the late Paleocene in North America, while smaller radiations of oxyaenids in Europe and Asia occurred during the Eocene.^[4]

Etymology

The name of order Oxyaenodonta comes from Ancient Greek ὀξύς- (oxús-) 'sharp', name of hyena genus Hyaena and from Ancient Greek ὀδούς (odoús) 'tooth'.

The name of family Oxyaenidae comes from Ancient Greek ὀξύς- (oxús-) 'sharp', name of hyena genus Hyaena and taxonomic suffix "-idae".^[5]

Description

They were superficially cat-like mammals that walked on flat feet, in contrast to modern cats, which walk and run on their toes. Anatomically, characteristic features include a short, broad skull, deep jaws, and teeth designed for crushing rather than shearing, as in the hyaenodonts or modern cats.^{[citation needed]}

Oxyaenids were specialized carnivores that preyed on other terrestrial vertebrates, eggs and insects. They were capable of climbing trees, which is suggested by fossil evidence of their paws.^{[citation needed]}

Classification and phylogeny

Taxonomy

Family: †Oxyaenidae (Cope, 1877)
- Subfamily: †Machaeroidinae (Matthew, 1909)
  - Genus: †Apataelurus (Scott, 1937)
    - †Apataelurus kayi (Scott, 1937)
    - †Apataelurus pishigouensis (Tong & Lei, 1986)
  - Genus: †Diegoaelurus (Zack, Poust & Wagner, 2022)^[6]
    - Diegoaelurus vanvalkenburghae (Zack, Poust & Wagner, 2022)
  - Genus: †Isphanatherium (Lavrov & Averianov, 1998)
    - Isphanatherium ferganensis (Lavrov & Averianov, 1998)
  - Genus: †Machaeroides (Matthew, 1909)
    - †Machaeroides eothen (Matthew, 1909)
    - †Machaeroides simpsoni (Dawson, 1986)
- Subfamily: †Oxyaeninae (Cope, 1877)
  - Genus: †Argillotherium (Davies, 1884)
    - †Argillotherium toliapicum (Davies, 1884)
  - Genus: †Dipsalidictis (Matthew & Granger, 1915)
    - †Dipsalidictis aequidens (Matthew & Granger, 1915)
    - †Dipsalidictis krausei (Gunnell & Gingerich, 1991)
    - †Dipsalidictis platypus (Matthew & Granger, 1915)
    - †Dipsalidictis transiens (Matthew & Granger, 1915)
  - Genus: †Malfelis (Stucky & Hardy, 2007)^[7]
    - †Malfelis badwaterensis (Stucky & Hardy, 2007)
  - Genus: †Oxyaena (Cope, 1874)
    - †Oxyaena forcipata (Cope, 1874)
    - †Oxyaena gulo (Matthew & Granger, 1915)
    - †Oxyaena intermedia (Denison, 1938)
    - †Oxyaena lupina (Cope, 1874)
    - †Oxyaena pardalis (Matthew & Granger, 1915)
    - †Oxyaena simpsoni (Van Valen, 1966)
    - †Oxyaena woutersi (Lange-Badré & Godinot, 1982)
  - Genus: †Patriofelis (Leidy, 1870)
    - †Patriofelis ferox (Marsh, 1872)
    - †Patriofelis ulta (Leidy, 1870)
  - Genus: †Protopsalis (Cope, 1880)
    - †Protopsalis tigrinus (Cope, 1880)
  - Genus: †Sarkastodon (Granger, 1938)
    - †Sarkastodon henanensis (Tong & Lei, 1986)
    - †Sarkastodon mongoliensis (Granger, 1938)
- Subfamily: †Palaeonictinae (Denison, 1938)
  - Genus: †Ambloctonus (Cope, 1875)
    - †Ambloctonus major (Denison, 1938)
    - †Ambloctonus priscus (Matthew & Granger, 1915)
    - †Ambloctonus sinosus (Cope, 1875)
  - Genus: †Dipsalodon (Jepsen, 1930)
    - †Dipsalodon churchillorum (Rose, 1981)
    - †Dipsalodon matthewi (Jepsen, 1930)
  - Genus: †Palaeonictis (de Blainville, 1842)
    - †Palaeonictis gigantea (de Blainville, 1842)
    - †Palaeonictis occidentalis (Osborn, 1892)
    - †Palaeonictis peloria (Rose, 1981)
    - †Palaeonictis wingi (Chester, 2010)
- Subfamily: †Tytthaeninae (Gunnell & Gingerich, 1991)
  - Genus: †Tytthaena (Gingerich, 1980)
    - †Tytthaena lichna (Rose, 1981)
    - †Tytthaena parrisi (Gingerich, 1980)

Phylogeny

Cladogram according to Gunnel in 1991:^[8]

Oxyaenidae

	Tytthaena parrisi

	Tytthaena lichna

	Palaeonictis occidentalis

	Palaeonictis peloria

	Dipsalodon matthewi

	Dipsalodon churchillorum

Dipsalidictis krausei

Dipsalidictis transiens

	Dipsalidictis platypus

	Dipsalidictis aequidens

Oxyaena gulo

	Oxyaena intermedia

	Oxyaena forcipata

References

†Hyaenodontidae	†Alienetherium †Boritia †Cartierodon †Consobrinus †Cynohyaenodon †Eurotherium †Hyaenodon †Leonhardtina †Matthodon †Neosinopa †Oxyaenoides †Paenoxyaenoides †Paracynohyaenodon †Praecodens †Preregidens †Prodissopsalis †Propterodon †Protoproviverra †Quercytherium

†Proviverridae

†Allopterodon
†Lesmesodon
†Minimovellentodon
†Morlodon
†Parvagula
†Proviverra

†Afro‑Arabian
clade

†Parvavorodon
†Tritemnodon
†Koholia

†Indohyaenodontidae

†Glibzegdouia
†Indohyaenodon
†Yarshea

†Hyainailouroidea

†Hyainailouridae

†Maocyon/Orienspterodon clade

†Maocyon
†Orienspterodon

†Apterodontinae

†Apterodon
†Quasiapterodon

†Hyainailourinae

†Leakitherium †Megistotherium †Mlanyama †Metapterodon †Pakakali †Paroxyaena †Simbakubwa
†Akhnatenavus clade	†Akhnatenavus †Hemipsalodon †Ischnognathus
†Hyainailourini	†Exiguodon †Falcatodon †Hyainailouros †Parapterodon †Sectisodon †Sivapterodon †Isohyaenodon †Kerberos †Pterodon

†Prionogalidae

†Namasector
†Prionogale
†Thereutherium

†Teratodontinae

†Anasinopa
†Brychotherium
†Buhakia
†Dissopsalis
†Ekweeconfractus
†Furodon
†Kyawdawia
†Masrasector
†Metasinopa
†Paratritemnodon
†Teratodon

other representatives

†Eoproviverra †Gazinocyon †Pyrocyon
†Arfia clade	†Arfia
†Galecyon clade	†Galecyon
†Lahimia clade	†Boualitomus †Lahimia
†Limnocyonidae	†Iridodon †Limnocyon †Oxyaenodon †Prolaena †Prolimnocyon †Thinocyon
†Sinopidae	†Acarictis †Prototomus †Sinopa

ichnotaxa
of Hyaenodonta

†Creodontipus
†Dischidodacylus
†Sarcotherichnus
†Zanclonychopus
†Hyaenodontipus
†Quiritipes
†Sarjeantipes

†Oxyaenodonta

†Oxyaenidae

†Machaeroidinae	†Apataelurus †Diegoaelurus †Isphanatherium †Machaeroides
†Oxyaeninae	†Argillotherium †Dipsalidictis †Malfelis †Oxyaena †Patriofelis †Protopsalis †Sarkastodon
†Palaeonictinae	†Ambloctonus †Dipsalodon †Palaeonictis
†Tytthaeninae	†Tytthaena

Carnivoramorpha

Carnivoraformes
(Clade "A")

Clade "B"

†Messelogale †Miocyon †Simamphicyon †Uintacyon †Xinyuictis †Zodiocyon
†Quercygalidae	†Quercygale
†Gracilocyon/Oodectes clade	†Eogale †Gracilocyon †Oodectes †Paramiacis †Paroodectes

Clade "C"

Clade "D"

†Ceruttia
†Harpalodon
†Lycarion
†Neovulpavus
†Procynodictis
†Prodaphaenus
†Tapocyon
†Walshius

Carnivora
(Clade "E")

Caniformia	(See Caniformia)
Feliformia	(See Feliformia)

other representatives

†Africtis
†Dawsonicyon
†Miacis

ichnotaxa of
Carnivoraformes

†Falcatipes

†Viverravoidea

†Viverravidae

†Orientictis †Pappictidops †Preonictis †Variviverra
†Didymictinae	†Bryanictis †Didymictis †Intyrictis †Pristinictis †Protictis †Raphictis
†Ictidopappinae	†Ictidopappus
†Viverravinae	†Simpsonictis †Viverravus †Viverriscus

Incertae sedis

†Ravenictis