In a new jaw - go discovery , an international squad of palaeontologist has divulge a new species of marauder that once live in Europe . All thanks to a ossified lower jaw .
This new species belong to a group of carnivores known as “ bear cad ” , named because ( like the name suggests ) they resembled a cross between a large cad and a bear . To be more scientific , they belong to to the phratry “ Amphicyonidae ” .
The discovery has now been publish inPeerJ Life and Environment .
The Jawbone of the Tartarocyon cazanavei. Image credit: PeerJ Life and EnvironmentCC BY
“ Bear - dogs ” were a mathematical group of carnivores that were found in Europe during the Miocene era ( 23 to 5.3 million years ago ) . The last of the massive fauna became extinct around 7.5 million years ago and weighed up to 320 kilograms ( 705 pounds ) .
During the other and middle Miocene epoch , the Southwestern part of France was flooded several time , stick many fogey in the area , include the uncommon find of a fossilized lower jaw of an amphicyonid species ( described in this research ) . These deposit were examined in the small biotic community of Sallespisse , on the northern edge of the Pyrenees in south - westerly France .
The mandibula had a unequalled quaternary lower premolar , indicating it probably represent a new genus and mintage . This tooth is important in determine species and genera , as it is morphologically unlike from other amphicyonid mintage .
This Modern genus has been namedTartarocyoncazanavei , which come in from a one - eyed goliath in Basque mythology – Tartaro . This beast was exceedingly strong and lived in cave in the mountains , where he would bewitch young people for nutrient , he was also allege to have lived in the location where the fossil was first described . Meanwhile , -cyonwas chosen as it is the Greek for bounder .
It is calculate that theTartarocyonweighed around a whopping 200 kilo ( 441 Ezra Loomis Pound ) , the same weight unit as a one - piece Schumann bootleg upright pianoforte . Definitely not something that you would want gallop towards you at any pep pill .
It is always difficult to be sealed of any novel genus , specially with only one dodo found , so the scientists are promising that any future dodo find may sustain their determination .
