Theriodictis is an extinct genusofhypercarnivorous wolf-like canid endemic to South America during the Pleistocene, living from 1.2 Ma- 500,000 years ago and existing for approximately 0.7 million years. [1][2][3]
| Theriodictis ↓ | |
|---|---|
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| Fossil skull in the Museo Malvinas e Islas del Atlántico Sur, Buenos Aires, Argentina. | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Subfamily: | Caninae |
| Tribe: | Canini |
| Genus: | †Theriodictis Mercerat, 1891 |
| Species | |
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The fossil remains are confined to the Tarija FormationofBolivia, the Chui Formation of southern Brazil, and the Yupoí Formation of northern Argentina.[4][5][6] The species T. tarijensis was transferred to the genus Protocyon upon phylogenetic analysis.[2]
It was a large sized canid; body weight for adult specimens of Theriodictis platensis has been estimated at around 30 to 40 kg. The dental diagnostic trait is found in the hypocone of M1 which is reduced in comparison with that of other genera.[7]
Prey is thought to have included ungulate camelids (e.g. guanaco), cervids (e.g. Epieurycerus and Antifer), equids (e.g. Equus and Hippidion), peccaries (e.g. Catagonus), giant rodents (e.g. Neochoerus), mesotherids (e.g. the burrowing Mesotherium), and giant cingulates (e.g. Eutatus, Propraopus and Pampatherium).[8]
