Dinocrocuta

Dinocrocuta Temporal range:
D. gigantea skull cast, Zoologisk Museum
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Hyaenidae
Genus:	†Dinocrocuta Schmidt-Kittler, 1975
Species
†D. algeriensis †D. gigantea †D. salonicae †D. senyureki

Dinocrocuta is an extinct genus of hyena-like feliform carnivores. It lived in Asia, and Africa, during the Miocene epoch. It had very strong jaws that were able to crush bones.

It is estimated that their weight was around 250 kg and their height to shoulder was 110 cm to 130 cm.

Description

Size

Restoration of D. gigantea

The largest species, D. gigantea, is known to have reached head-to-body lengths and shoulder heights of 1.9 m (6.2 ft) and 1.3 m (4.3 ft) for the largest individuals, with total skull lengths of 43 cm (17 in). In terms of weight, it was originally stated to have weighed up to 380 kg (840 lb). However, the method used has been known to overestimate the masses of extinct carnivorans. Smaller individuals, such as the holotype specimen, hit around 200 kg (440 lb). Based on this smaller specimen, the largest specimens of this species would have reached weights close to 300 kg (661 lb), which rivals the mass of the largest tiger sub-species, and is only exceeded by Smilodon populator, Panthera atrox, and several amphicyonids and ursids. The other species were smaller in size, but still quite large compared to hyena species alive today.

Distribution

Dinocrocuta had a large range and ruled most of the Eurasia and some parts of Africa. D. gigantea ranged from Central China to Spain, and encompassed areas in between, like Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Greece. D. algeriensis managed to makes its way to North Africa, and D. senyureki originated in the Tibet region.

Ecology

Lower jaw of D. gigantea

Dinocrocuta was an exceptionally powerful predator and scavenger, capable of preying on animals much larger than itself. Though it is currently unknown if Dinocrocuta was solitary or social, it was probably an able hunter of such animals as the tusked rhinoceros Chilotherium. Chilotherium, despite its great size, was vulnerable to the giant feliform, particularly when it was giving birth, or was injured or sick. A skull and jaw from a female Chilotherium bears the distinctive bite marks on the forehead from a Dinocrocuta's teeth, indicating that the rhino was part of the carnivore's diet. The regrowth of bone on the rhino's injuries also indicate that the Dinocrocuta's attempt at predation failed and that the rhinoceros fought off her attacker, managing to escape and heal.