Nimravids

Nimravids ^[1] ( lat. Nimravidae , by the name of the type genus Nimravus ) is an extinct family of predatory mammals . Despite the fact that the body structure of Nimravids resemble saber-toothed cats from the genus Smilodon , they are not closely related, and their similarity is the result of convergent evolution .

Earlier, barburofelide , currently isolated in a separate family, was also referred to nimravids. Nimravids and real felines come from a common ancestor who lived at the time of the divergence of feline and psoiform in the Middle Eocene about 50 million years ago (no later than 43 million years ago). Nimravid fossils are discovered from the Late Eocene (37 million years ago) from the Chadronian White River Carnivora Formation in Flagstaff Rome in Wyoming to the Late Miocene (5 million years ago). The heyday of nimravid is observed 28 million years ago, in the Oligocene .

Most nimravids had a muscular, low-lying cat-like body (in particular: with short paws and tails typical of cats).

Different authors put different kinds of nimravid into tribes to show the relationship between them. Some nimravids evolved into “cats” with large massive flattened upper fangs and protrusions on their lower jaws protecting them. The teeth of others were similar to those of neofelids or modern cats with smaller fangs. Still others had moderately enlarged fangs and occupied an intermediate place between saber-toothed cats and neofelids. Their fangs were not only smaller than those of saber-toothed cats, but also had a more conical shape. They are classified as pseudo-saber-toothed cats (but you can call them dagger-toothed cats).

Nimravids differed not only in the structure of their teeth, but also in size and morphology, as well as neophelids. Some of them were the size of a leopard , others from a modern lion or tiger , also had a Dinaelurus crassus species with a short muzzle, rounded jaws and reduced fangs, reminiscent of a modern cheetah .

Skull Eusmilus cerebralis