Content uploaded by Geraldine Veron
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Geraldine Veron on Dec 09, 2014
Content may be subject to copyright.
La position systématique de Cryptoprocta ferox (Carnivora). Analyse cladistique des caractères morphologiques de carnivores Aeluroidea actuels et fossiles
Abstract
Afin de determiner la position phylogenetique de l'espece malgache Cryptoprocta ferox, nous avons etudie l'anatomie de differents genres de carnivores Aeluroidea et de deux taxons fossiles, Proailurus et Palaeopnonodon, auxquels il avait ete compare. L'analyse cladistique de 77 caracteres morpho-anatomiques place Cryptoprocta en groupe-frere des Felidae sur la base de caracteres dentaires essentiellement. Proailurus est le groupe-frere de l'ensemble Felidae + Cryptoprocta. Cette etude demontre surtout que Cryptoprocta doit etre exclu des Viverridae au sein desquels il est generalement classe.
... le cryptoprocte ne partage des caractères dérivés qu'avec les Herpestidae (VÉRON, 1995). Tous les autres carnivores autochtones de Madagascar sont, comme le cryptoprocte, endémiques de l'île. ...
... Les hypothèse de relations phylogénétiques au sein des Viverridae ainsi nouvellement délimités restaient à étudier ; les premières analyses cladistiques montraient surtout la nature homoplasique de nombreux caractères morphologiques (VÉRON, 1995 ;GAUBERT et al., 2002). Les premiers résultats moléculaires (VÉRON & HEARD, 2000) suggèrent la monophylie des civettes palmistes asiatiques, les Hemigalinae et les Paradoxurinae. ...
... Les linsangs africains et asiatiques furent rassemblés dans la tribu des Prionodontini (GRAY, 1864), mais par la suite les auteurs ont considéré Poiana comme une genette primitive, qui a acquis un morphotype similaire à celui des linsangs asiatiques par convergence du fait de leur mode de vie similaire dans les forêts tropicales (GREGORY & HELLMAN, 1939 ;SIMPSON, 1945 ;CRAWFORD-CABRAL, 1993). Prionodon présente des ressemblances aussi bien avec les Felidae qu'avec les Viverridae et la base du crâne est très proche de celles de féliformes fossiles de l'Oligocène, Paleoprionodon et Proailurus (HORSFIELD, 1824 ;TEILHARD DE CHARDIN, 1915 ;GREGORY & HELLMAN, 1939 ;VÉRON, 1995 ;HUNT, 2001). Des analyses moléculaires (GAUBERT & VÉRON, 2003) placent pour la première fois les linsangs asiatiques en position de groupe-frère des Felidae. ...
Recent molecular studies have shed some light on the phylogeny of the feliform carnivores and have clarified the systematic position of some debated taxa that were previously placed within the Viverridae. The African palm civet, the Malagasy viverrids and the Asian linsangs are no longer included in the Viverridae, which now consists of four subfamilies: the Hemigalinae (banded palm civets and otter civet); the Paradoxurinae (palm civets and binturong); the Genettinae (genets and oyans); and the Viverrinae (terrestrial civets). The African palm civet (Nandiniidae) is the sister-group of all other feliforms, and the Asian linsangs (Prionodontidae) are the sister-group of the cat family (Felidae). The Malagasy civets (Euplerinae) and Malagasy mongooses (Galidiinae) form a monophyletic group (Eupleridae), which is the sister-group of the mongooses (Herpestidae). The Herpestidae family is itself split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae, including the solitary species, and the Mungotinae, grouping the social species. These studies have also clarified which morphological features are reliable for the phylogeny of the feliform carnivores.
... This family includes digitigrade terrestrial species (civets), semi-digitigrade semi-arboreal species (genets), and plantigrade arboreal species (palm civets) (Ewer, 1973;Wozencraft, 1984;Taylor, 1988;Veron, 1994Veron, , 1999Nowak, 2005;Jennings and Veron, 2009). Their systematics was based mainly on the morphology of the basicranium (size and shape of the anterior and posterior chambers of the auditory bullae, position of the foramens at the base of the skull), the dentition, the feet, and the perineal gland (a scent pouch that lies between the genitals and the anus) (Gray, 1864;Flower, 1869;Mivart, 1882;Pocock, 1915aPocock, ,b,c,d, 1916bPocock, ,c, 1929Pocock, , 1933aPocock, ,b,c, 1934a1939;Gregory and Hellman, 1939;Hunt, 1974Hunt, , 1987Hunt, , 1989Hunt, , 1991Hunt, , 2001Wozencraft, 1984Wozencraft, , 1989aVeron, 1994Veron, , 1995. The perineal gland is specific to the Viverridae, and its product, called civet, is used in scent marking (see Jennings and Veron, 2009). ...
... The relationships within the Viverridae have been long debated, largely due to their large diversity of forms and also because this family was a dumping ground for all 'viverrid-like' species of feliforms (Pocock, 1916c; and see reviews in Wozencraft, 1984;Veron, 1994Veron, , 1995Bininda-Emonds et al., 1999;Veron and Heard, 2000;Hunt, 2001;Gaubert et al., 2002;Gaubert and Veron, 2003;Jennings and Veron, 2009). Until recently, the Viverridae was divided into six subfamilies (Wozencraft, 1993): two endemic to Madagascar, the Cryptoproctinae Gray, 1864 and the Euplerinae Chenu, 1852; two Asian subfamilies, the Hemigalinae Gray, 1864 and the Paradoxurinae Gray, 1864, one monospecific African subfamily, the Nandiniinae Pocock, 1929, and one subfamily, the Viverrinae Gray, 1821, with both Asian and African representatives. ...
... Until recently, the Viverridae was divided into six subfamilies (Wozencraft, 1993): two endemic to Madagascar, the Cryptoproctinae Gray, 1864 and the Euplerinae Chenu, 1852; two Asian subfamilies, the Hemigalinae Gray, 1864 and the Paradoxurinae Gray, 1864, one monospecific African subfamily, the Nandiniinae Pocock, 1929, and one subfamily, the Viverrinae Gray, 1821, with both Asian and African representatives. However, the systematic position of several viverrid species were questioned, in particular the African palm civet (Nandinia binotata), the Malagasy viverrids (the fossa Cryptoprocta ferox, falanouc Eupleres goudotii, and Malagasy civet Fossa fossana), and the Asian linsangs (the spotted linsang Prionodon pardicolor and banded linsang Prionodon linsang) (see Gray, 1864;Milne-Edwards and Grandidier, 1867;Flower, 1869;Filhol, 1879Filhol, , 1894Mivart, 1882;Carlsson, 1911;Gregory and Hellman, 1939;Pocock, 1940;Beaumont, 1964;Petter, 1974;Hunt, 1987Hunt, , 2001Flynn et al., 1988;Wozencraft, 1984Wozencraft, , 1989aHunt and Tedford, 1993;Wyss and Flynn, 1993;Veron, 1994Veron, , 1995Gaubert, 2003a). The first molecular phylogenies revealed a conflict with the traditional taxonomy (e.g. ...
The phylogenetic relationships of the extant feliform carnivores, Felidae (cats), Herpestidae (mongooses), Hyaenidae (hyenas and aardwolf), and Viverridae (civets, genets, and oyans), have been debated for a long time, with several proposed hypotheses for the relationships of these families (Flower, 1869; Gregory and Hellman, 1939, see Figure 3.1; Simpson, 1945; Hunt, 1987; Flynn et al., 1988; Wayne et al., 1989; Wozencraft, 1989a; Hunt and Tedford, 1993; Wyss and Flynn, 1993; Veron, 1994). The position of the Viverridae family is still unresolved (see e.g. Gaubert and Veron, 2003; Flynn et al., 2005; Koepfli et al., 2006; Holliday, 2007). The mongooses were initially included within the Viverridae (Flower, 1869; Mivart, 1882) until Pocock (1916a, 1919) advocated for a family rank, to which he gave the name Mungotidae. Gregory and Hellman (1939) also placed them in a separate family, the Herpestidae Bonaparte, 1845. This separation was not followed by Simpson (1945) and several other authors (e.g. Albignac, 1973; Ewer, 1973; Petter, 1974; Rosevear, 1974; Coetzee, 1977; Kingdon, 1977; Payne et al., 1985; Stains, 1987; Taylor, 1988; Schreiber et al., 1989; Dargel, 1990; Skinner and Smithers, 1990). However, this split has been supported by further studies, based on morphology, chromosomes and molecular data (e.g. Wurster, 1969; Fredga, 1972; Radinsky, 1975; Bugge, 1978; Neff, 1983; Hunt, 1987; Wozencraft, 1984; Hunt and Tedford, 1993; Veron and Catzeflis, 1993; Wyss and Flynn, 1993; Veron, 1994, 1995; Flynn and Nedbal, 1998; Veron and Heard, 2000; Gaubert and Veron, 2003; Veron et al., 2004a; Flynn et al., 2005), and it is now generally accepted that the mongooses should be placed in a separate family, the Herpestidae (see Honacki et al., 1982; Wozencraft, 1989b, 1993, 2005; Gilchrist et al., 2009).
... This separation was not followed by Simpson (1945) and several other authors (Albignac, 1973;Ewer, 1973;Petter, 1974;Rosevear, 1974;Coetzee, 1977;Kingdon, 1977;Payne et al., 1985;Stains, 1987;Taylor, 1988;Schreiber et al., 1989;Dargel, 1990;Skinner & Smithers, 1990;Taylor et al., 1991;Taylor & Goldman, 1993). However, the separation of the mongooses from the Viverridae has been supported by further studies, based on morphology, chromosomes and molecular data (Wurster, 1969;Fredga, 1972;Radinsky, 1975;Bugge, 1978;Neff, 1983;Wozencraft, 1984;Hunt, 1987;Hunt & Tedford, 1993;Veron & Catzeflis, 1993;Wyss & Flynn, 1993;Veron, 1994Veron, , 1995Flynn & Nedbal, 1998;Veron & Heard, 2000;Gaubert & Veron, 2003;Veron et al., 2004;Flynn et al., 2005), and it is now generally accepted that the mongooses should be placed in a separate family, the Herpestidae (Honacki et al., 1982;Wozencraft, 1989aWozencraft, ,b, 2005Gilchrist et al., 2009;Veron, 2010;Jennings & Veron, 2019). ...
... Based on molecular data, Veron et al. (2004) showed that this species should be included in the solitary mongoose group (see Figure 3.2). The morphological features that prompted several authors to consider the yellow mongoose closely related to the social mongooses (Petter, 1969;Wozencraft, 1989b;Veron, 1995) are apparently the result of convergence in ecological and behavioural characteristics (open habitat, insectivorous diet, social family life, diurnal activity, and communal burrows). Although several authors have mentioned that colonies of C. penicillata can consist of up to 40-50 individuals (Fitzsimons, 1919;Roberts, 1951;Walker et al., 1964;Dorst & Dandelot, 1972), mean colony sizes of 3.9, 4.1 and 8.0 were observed by Zumpt (1976), Lynch (1980), and Earlé (1981), respectively. ...
The Herpestidae is an ecologically and behaviourally diverse family that comprises 25 African and 9 Asian mongoose species. They are slender, small carnivores (ranging from 200 g to 5 kg) that live in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia; one mongoose species is found in Europe and a few species have been introduced in many places in the world. The Herpestidae were initially included in the family Viverridae (civets, genets, and oyans), and previously contained the Malagasy ‘mongooses’ (subfamily Galidiinae). Molecular systematics and morphological studies have now confirmed that the ‘true’ mongooses should be placed in a separate family, the Herpestidae, and that the Malagasy ‘mongooses’ (together with the other Malagasy carnivores) be placed in the family Eupleridae. Recent molecular studies have shown that there are 2 subfamilies within the Herpestidae: the Mungotinae (11 small, social mongooses that occur in Africa) and the Herpestinae (23 larger, non‐social mongooses that are found in Asia and Africa). In addition, the genus Herpestes has been shown to be paraphyletic; the nine Asian species of Herpestes form a monophyletic group and should now be placed in the genus Urva . Recent studies have inferred an Early Miocene African origin for the Herpestidae, and a Middle Miocene origin for the Asian mongooses. The evolution of life traits (social organization, activity, and habitat preferences) suggests that mongooses were originally non‐social, diurnal, and diversified much more in Africa than in Asia. In this chapter, we review the recent changes in the inter‐familial relationships of the Herpestidae and the Malagasy ‘mongooses’, provide an up‐to‐date phylogeny of the mongooses, describe the evolution of mongoose life traits, and present the latest systematic classification of the Asian mongooses, based on recent molecular studies.
... To date, the systematics of the Hemigalinae and Paradoxurinae has been mainly assessed by morphological data (Pocock, 1933;Gregory and Hellman, 1939;Wozencraft, 1989;Veron, 1994Veron, , 1995. Molecular studies of feliform carnivorans have included very few representatives of these subfamilies due to the difficulties in obtaining biological material (see Veron and Heard, 2000;Gaubert 2. Materials and methods ...
... Some taxa were placed among the Viverridae on the basis of shared morphological traits, but some of these characters are now deemed plesi-omorphic (Gaubert et al., 2005). Several studies led to the exclusion of some 'viverrid-like' taxa and helped redefine the Viverridae sensu stricto as a monophyletic group (Veron and Catzeflis, 1993;Veron, 1995;Veron and Heard, 2000;Gaubert and Veron, 2003;Yoder et al., 2003;Gaubert et al., 2004aGaubert et al., , 2005, but little attention was paid to the Hemigalinae and Paradoxurinae. This study confirms the definition of the Viverridae as containing the Genettinae, Hemigalinae, Paradoxurinae, and Viverrinae. ...
... Following Carbone et al. (2007), we classified Bsmall-prey specialists^as species targeting prey smaller than themselves, Blarge-prey specialists^as those targeting prey larger than themselves, and Bmixed-prey specialists^as opportunists that regularly target either. Despite being distantly related to cryptoprocts (family Eupleridae), felids make an excellent reference population for cryptoprocts because, like (Yoder et al. 2003;Eizirik and Murphy 2009), and morphological research confirms that Cryptoprocta is cat-like in cranial as well as postcranial traits (e.g., Legendre and Roth 1988;Véron 1995). ...
The extent to which Madagascar’s Holocene extinct lemurs fell victim to nonhuman predators is poorly understood. Madagascar’s Holocene predator guild included several now-extinct species, i.e., crocodiles, carnivorans, and raptors. Here we focus on mammalian carnivory, specifically the roles of Cryptoprocta spelea and its still-extant but smaller-bodied sister taxon, C. ferox, the fosa. Cryptoprocta spelea was the largest carnivoran on Madagascar during the Quaternary. We ask whether some extinct lemurs exceeded the upper prey-size limits of C. spelea. We use univariate and multivariate phylogenetic generalized least squares regression models to re-evaluate the likely body mass of C. spelea. Next, we compare characteristics of the forelimb bones of C. ferox and C. spelea to those of other stealth predators specializing on small, mixed, and large-bodied prey. Finally, we examine humeri, femora, crania, and mandibles of extinct lemurs from six sites in four ecoregions of Madagascar to identify damage likely made by predators. We test the relative prevalence of carnivory by mammals, raptors, and crocodiles at different sites and ecoregions. Our data reveal that crocodiles, raptors, and the largest of Madagascar’s mammalian predators, C. spelea, all preyed on large lemurs. Cryptoprocta opportunistically consumed lemurs weighing up to ~85 kg. Its forelimb anatomy would have facilitated predation on large-bodied prey. Social hunting may have also enhanced the ability of C. spelea to capture large, arboreal primates. Cryptoprocta carnivory is well represented at cave and riverine sites and less prevalent at lake and marsh sites, where crocodylian predation dominates.
... Despite these threats, little molecular systematics work has been done on this group; knowledge of their phylogenetic diversity, intraspecific genetic diversity and structure, and population differentiation is crucial for defining conservation priorities and for the identification of evolutionarily significant units (ESUs, Ryder 1986;Moritz 1994;Haig 1998;Isaac et al. 2007). The systematics of the Hemigalinae had previously only been assessed using morphological data (Pocock 1933;Gregory & Hellman 1939;Wozencraft 1989;Veron 1994Veron , 1995 until Patou et al. (2008) proposed a molecular phylogeny of the Hemigalinae and Paradoxurinae. Patou et al. (2008) found that the banded civet and Owston's civet were sister species, with the otter civet as the sister taxon to these two (as also obtained later by Agnarsson et al. 2010). ...
Due to the difficulty in obtaining samples, the systematics of the Hemigalinae civets has
not been fully resolved. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationships of the species and the
intraspecific diversity within this subfamily, and to explore the environmental factors that might
have affected its evolution. Using two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers, we confirmed that the
Hemigalinae comprises Owston’s civet, the otter civet, Hose’s civet and the banded civet, but also the
Sulawesi palm civet (formerly included in the Paradoxurinae). Our study showed that the banded and
Owston’s civets are sister species, and suggested that Hose’s civet is sister to these two. Within the
banded civet, we observed a high divergence between individuals from the Mentawai Islands and those
from Sumatra and Borneo (while the latter two were not strongly divergent), likely due to the deep
sea channel between the Mentawai Islands and Sumatra. Unexpectedly, the Sumatran and Peninsular
Malaysian individuals were not closely related, despite the fact that these two regions have repeatedly
been connected during the last glaciations. No high polymorphism was found within Owston’s civet,
although three groups were obtained: southern China, northern Vietnam and central Vietnam, which
might be related to Pleistocene climatic fluctuations.
... With respect to the phylogenetic relationships among carnivoran families, early small feliforms such as Stenoplesictis and Palaeoprionodon are placed at a sister taxon position to the extant Feliformia excluding the Nandiniidae (Véron 1995;Hunt 1998), while the Nimravidae is treated as the first divergence within the Feliformia or as a sister taxon to the crown Carnivora (i.e. Feliformia þ Caniformia; Flynn et al. 2010). ...
This study reports occurrences of feliform carnivorans from the Upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation and Alag Tsav locality of southeastern Mongolia. Nimravus mongoliensis (Nimravidae) is distinguished from other species in having a deep mandible, a longer p/1–2 and m/2 relative to p/4, and relatively wider P3/. Eofelis sp. (Nimravidae), a genus previously known only from the Oligocene of France is found in the Ergilin Dzo Formation. Alagtsavbaatar indigenus comb. nov. (Alagtsavbaatar gen. nov.; Feliformia) is established for new specimens from the Ergilin Dzo Formation and the previously known Stenoplesictis specimen from the Alag Tsav locality based on its characteristics such as moderately developed buccal cingulid and cingular and accessory cuspids on p/3–4, wide m/1 trigonid and double-rooted m/2 with a trenchant talonid. Stenoplesictis simplex from the Ergilin Dzo Formation is revised to Asiavorator gracilis, extending its chronological range back to the Late Eocene. Geographical and chronological distributions and morphological comparisons suggest that the Nimravidae originated by the Middle Eocene in southern East Asia and migrated northward in the Late Eocene, whereas the early small feliforms immigrated to northern East Asia in the Late Eocene and stayed within the middle-to-high-latitude area.
... Hunt (1989Hunt ( , 1998Hunt ( , 2001 reinforced this position with further studies of various extinct and extant feliforms. Subsequently, phylogenetic analyses of morphological (e.g., Véron 1995;Spaulding and Flynn 2012) and DNA data (e.g., Gaubert et al. 2005; have supported Hunt's position for N. binotata as sister to other extant feliform, which as noted above is widely held today (see also , Wozencraft 2005;Gaubert 2009). ...
The external and endocranial surfaces of the skull of the African palm civet, Nandinia binotata (Gray, 1830), are described and illustrated in detail based on 30 specimens (from Carnegie Museum of Natural History and American Museum of Natural History). With the inclusion of a newborn and six juveniles with deciduous dentitions, a reasonable ontogenetic series is represented. The bone-by-bone descriptions are primarily based on the condition in an adult female and the newborn with consideration of variation across the sample. The principal cranial foramina are treated in a glossary, and the hyoid apparatus and larynx are described from a single specimen. The sample exhibits a remarkable degree of variability in cranial features that are often used as different states of characters in phylogenetic analysis (e.g., number and position of palatal foramina, the orbital mosaic, and composition of the lacrimal foramen). Nandinia binotata, the only taxon in the Nandiniidae, has been identified as the most basal extant feliform in recent phylogenetic analyses of both molecular and morphological data. It has long been recognized that its ear region with its uninflated auditory bulla exhibits a primitive level of organization. To assess the primitive nature of the skull of N. binotata, comparisons are made with three extant carnivorans, the felid Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758, the viverrid Genetta genetta (Linnaeus, 1758), and the canid Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758. Of the three, N. binotata shares numerous resemblances across the skull with G. genetta, which accounts for its historical inclusion in the Viverridae. Whereas aspects of the ear region of N. binotata are clearly unique among extant carnivorans, the rest of its skull is not similarly so.
... The Viverridae form a heterogeneous taxon, which is probably not monophyletic (Hunt 1987, 1989, Hunt and Tedford 1993, Veron and Catzeflis 1993, Flynn and Nedbal 1998 and with uncertain intra-family relationships (Veron 1994(Veron , 1995. ...
A survey of the morphology of pads within the Viverridae has been related to locomotion, ecology, ethology and to other morphological features. Species with digitigrade hind foot are lacking metatarsal pads, have an elongated pes, a short tail, and non retractile daws. They are terrestrial and their fur is spotted. Species with plantigrade hind foot, have broad and long metatarsal pads, which form a bare sole. They have retractile claws, a long tail, and fur with few markings or are one-coloured. They are arboreal and most of them are omnivorous or fruit-eaters. The genets and Poiana are intermediate forms because they have digitigrade feet, but possess long metatarsal pads, retractile claws, a long tail and spotted coat. However, some of them are close to the plantigrade state and have a plantigrade manus. The form of the pes of the genets is an adaptation for jumping. Prionodon is arboreal but have no metatarsal pads and is digitigrade. The ancestral condition is assumed to be plantigrady and arboreality and the presence of all the pads, which could be approach by some genets or Poiana, while the morphology of the foot of the Paradoxurinae, Nandinia and Cryptoprocta seems to be a secondary condition.
Among the mammalian fossils discovered in were crania and mandibles of rare carnivorans, 1930 by the Central Asiatic Expedition of the including the first complete skulls of several Asian American Museum of Natural History (New York) mid-Miocene lineages. Most of these fossils came in the Tung Gur Formation of Inner Mongolia from a single locality termed Wolf Camp Quarry that produced, among other striking finds, a small fox-sized cranium referred to a new genus and species Tungurictis spocki Colbert 1939. Today this remains the only known cranium of Tungurictis yet discovered. Preparation and reinterpretation of the auditory region demonstrate that Tungurictis belongs to an early lineage of Hyaenidae, although it has long been regarded as a viverrid. The WolfCamp Quarry cranium of Tungurictis combines a hyaenid auditory bulla structure with incipient hyaenid specializations of the cheek teeth, indicating that the typical bulla pattern evolved prior to the robust, bone-crushing dentitions that characterize living species of Crocuta and Hyaena. Previously undescribed remains of left and right hindfeet found in Wolf Camp Quarry near the skull are attributed to the same species, if not the same individual, and indicate that a digitigrade paraxonic stance characterized this small Asian carnivore. Tungurictis has been identified only in the Tung Gur Formation of Mongolia, with the exception of a doubtfully referred upper jaw fragment from north Africa. However, a survey of dentitions of small mid-Miocene European hyaenids indicates that the cheek teeth of Tungurictis spocki are comparable to the holotype dentition of Protictitherium gaillardi (Forsyth-Major, 1903) from the mid- Miocene of La Grive, France. So similar is the dental morphology that hyaenid basicranial structure can be reasonably inferred for P. gaillardi, and for Protictitherium for which no basicranium was known. Thus, at least three lineages of small hyaenids with plesiomorphic dentitions (lacking durophagous specializations of the premolars and carnassials) lived in Eurasia during the Miocene: (1) a Protictitherium (Tungurictis) lineage, with hypercarnivorous dentition and hyaenid auditory region; (2) a Protictitherium (Protictitherium) lineage, known chiefly from dentitions in which the ml entoconid is emphasized-an intact auditory region is not yet identified; (3) a Plioviverrops lineage, with hypocarnivorous dentition and hyaenid auditory region. Two additional early hyaenid lineages (Miohyaena, Percrocuta) of the mid-Miocene cannot be confused with Protictitherium or Plioviverrops because they show a precocious development of durophagous dental specializations, heralding the large bone-crushing species of the later Cenozoic of Eurasia. Old World Miocene hyaenids parallel New World Miocene canids in body size, skull form, dental specialization, and diversity. Small, intermediate, and large-sized digitigrade canid and hyaenid ecomorphs are known during the Neogene, some with plesiomorphic skull form and dentition, others with derived "hyaenoid" cranium and teeth, including durophagous animals of large body size within both Hyaenidae (Dinocrocuta, Pachycrocuta, Adcrocuta) and Canidae (Epicyon, Borophagus, Osteoborus).
The fossil records of carnivore brain evolution indicates that the cruciate sulcus, a common landmark in living carnivoran brains, evolved independently at least five times. Hypotheses to account for such wide-spread parallelism include folding to accommodate a general increase in area of neocortex and, more specifically, expansion of primary motor cortex and perhaps also somatosensory cortex in response to selection for better motor control and increased tactile sensitivity.
Le cryptoprocte, Carnivore Viverride malgache, a ete etudie en captivite au Pare zoologique municipal du Lunaret (Montpellier, France). L'observation directe, Penregistrement de documents cinematographiques et photographiques ont permis Panalyse des differentes phases lors du grimper et de la descente d'un tronc vertical, de la descente d'un tronc oblique et des sauts de branche en branche. Ses membres courts et robustes munis de griffes retractiles et de coussinets (palmaires et plantaires), sa colonne vertebrate souple et sa longue queue facilitent son mode de vie dans les arbres.