Chasmaporthetes

The limb bones of ''Chasmaporthetes'' were long and slender like those of cheetahs. It likely inhabited open ground and was a daytime hunter. The European ''C. lunensis'' is regarded as an active group hunter of medium-sized ungulates.{{Cite journal |last=Salesa |first=Manuel J. |date=2006-01-01 |title=A complete skull of Chasmaporthetes lunensis (Carnivora, Hyaenidae) from the Spanish Pliocene site of La Puebla de Valverde (Teruel) |url=https://www.academia.edu/2453027/A_complete_skull_of_Chasmaporthetes_lunensis_Carnivora_Hyaenidae_from_the_Spanish_Pliocene_site_of_La_Puebla_de_Valverde_Teruel_ |doi=10.3989/EGEOL.0662132|journal=Academia}} It may have preyed on the small Bourbon gazelle (''[[Gazella borbonica]]'') and the chamois antelope (''[[Procamptoceras brivatense]]''), and competed with the giant cheetah (''[[Acinonyx pardinensis]]'').Kurtén, Björn (1968) ''Pleistocene mammals of Europe'', p. 68-69, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1968 The North American ''C. ossifragus'' was similar in build to ''C. lunensis'', but had slightly more robust jaws and teeth. It may have preyed on the giant marmot ''[[Paenemarmota]]'', and competed with the far more numerous ''[[Borophagus diversidens]]''.Wang, Xiaoming & Tedford, Richard H. (2008) ''Dogs: their fossil relatives and evolutionary history'' Columbia University Press, {{ISBN|0-231-13528-9}}

The limb bones of ''Chasmaporthetes'' were long and slender like those of cheetahs. It likely inhabited open ground and was a daytime hunter. The European ''C. lunensis'' is regarded as an active group hunter of medium-sized ungulates.{{Cite journal |last=Salesa |first=Manuel J. |date=2006-01-01 |title=A complete skull of Chasmaporthetes lunensis (Carnivora, Hyaenidae) from the Spanish Pliocene site of La Puebla de Valverde (Teruel) |url=https://www.academia.edu/2453027/A_complete_skull_of_Chasmaporthetes_lunensis_Carnivora_Hyaenidae_from_the_Spanish_Pliocene_site_of_La_Puebla_de_Valverde_Teruel_ |doi=10.3989/EGEOL.0662132|journal=Academia}} It may have preyed on the small Bourbon gazelle (''[[Gazella borbonica]]'') and the chamois antelope (''[[Procamptoceras brivatense]]''), and competed with the giant cheetah (''[[Acinonyx pardinensis]]'').Kurtén, Björn (1968) ''Pleistocene mammals of Europe'', p. 68-69, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1968 The North American ''C. ossifragus'' was similar in build to ''C. lunensis'', but had slightly more robust jaws and teeth. It may have preyed on the giant marmot ''[[Paenemarmota]]'', and competed with the far more numerous ''[[Borophagus diversidens]]''.Wang, Xiaoming & Tedford, Richard H. (2008) ''Dogs: their fossil relatives and evolutionary history'' Columbia University Press, {{ISBN|0-231-13528-9}}

Relative to the body size of the species, the skull of ''C. lunensis'' was superbly adapted for dissipating stresses generated by struggling prey as they would have been subdued.{{Cite journal |last1=Tseng |first1=Zhijie Jack |last2=Antón |first2=Mauricio |last3=Salesa |first3=Manuel J. |date=Winter 2011 |title=The evolution of the bone-cracking model in carnivorans: cranial functional morphology of the Plio-Pleistocene cursorial hyaenid Chasmaporthetes lunensis (Mammalia: Carnivora) |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/paleobiology/article/abs/evolution-of-the-bonecracking-model-in-carnivorans-cranial-functional-morphology-of-the-pliopleistocene-cursorial-hyaenid-chasmaporthetes-lunensis-mammalia-carnivora/B631F9559D330E6E2FC6354E9FD008C9 |journal=[[Paleobiology (journal)|Paleobiology]] |language=en |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=140–156 |doi=10.1666/09045.1 |issn=0094-8373 |access-date=7 March 2026 |via=Cambridge Core|url-access=subscription }}> The [[cheek teeth]] of ''Chasmaporthetes'' were slender and sharp-edged like those of [[Felidae|felids]].> A study on the genus' [[premolar]] intercuspid notches indicated ''Chasmaporthetes'' was likely [[hypercarnivore|hypercarnivorous]] rather than [[durophagous]] as its modern cousins (excluding the [[aardwolf]]) are.{{Cite journal |last1=Hartstone-Rose |first1=A. |date=25 May 2011 |title=Reconstructing the diets of extinct South African carnivorans from premolar 'intercuspid notch' morphology |url=https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00821.x |journal=[[Journal of Zoology]] |language=en |volume=285 |issue=2 |pages=119–127 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00821.x |issn=1469-7998 |access-date=10 April 2025 |via=Zoological Society of London|url-access=subscription }} The microstructure of the [[Enamel of teeth|enamel]] of ''C. lunensis lunensis'' consists of more gently folding enamel than that found in bone-crushing hyaenids, further supporting the notion that it was not a specialist [[Osteophagy|osteophage]].{{Cite journal |last1=Ferretti |first1=Marco P. |date=13 December 1999 |title=Tooth enamel structure in the hyaenid Chasmaporthetes lunensis lunensis from the Late Pliocene of Italy, with implications for feeding behavior |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.1999.10011189?casa_token=EVeLgPOp3YwAAAAA:7Yy34fG41WXG2ecEvzd8rDNgrBIg7KvOpBtAu2ooqmlY99KnX9B_KxTsHAw6w9GDdsZ1ec6miQ |journal=[[Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology]] |language=en |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=767–770 |doi=10.1080/02724634.1999.10011189 |issn=0272-4634 |access-date=12 January 2026 |via=Taylor and Francis Online|url-access=subscription }} [[Dental microwear]] of ''C. australis'' from Langebaanweg in [[South Africa]] shows that the species was hypercarnivorous and rarely engaged in durophagy; its dental microwear was similar to the modern [[lion]], which seldom consumes bone.{{Cite journal |last1=Stynder |first1=Deano D. |last2=Ungar |first2=Peter Stuart |last3=Scott |first3=Jessica R. |last4=Schubert |first4=Blaine W. |date=1 September 2012 |title=A Dental Microwear Texture Analysis of the Mio-Pliocene Hyaenids from Langebaanweg, South Africa |url=https://bioone.org/journals/acta-palaeontologica-polonica/volume-57/issue-3/app.2011.0053/A-Dental-Microwear-Texture-Analysis-of-the-Mio-Pliocene-Hyaenids/10.4202/app.2011.0053.full |journal=[[Acta Palaeontologica Polonica]] |language=en |volume=57 |issue=3 |pages=485–496 |doi=10.4202/app.2011.0053 |issn=0567-7920 |access-date=10 April 2025 |via=BioOne Digital Library|doi-access=free }}

The [[cheek teeth]] of ''Chasmaporthetes'' were slender and sharp-edged like those of [[Felidae|felids]]. Relative to the body size of the species, the skull of ''C. lunensis'' was superbly adapted for dissipating stresses generated by struggling prey as they would have been subdued.{{Cite journal |last1=Tseng |first1=Zhijie Jack |last2=Antón |first2=Mauricio |last3=Salesa |first3=Manuel J. |date=Winter 2011 |title=The evolution of the bone-cracking model in carnivorans: cranial functional morphology of the Plio-Pleistocene cursorial hyaenid Chasmaporthetes lunensis (Mammalia: Carnivora) |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/paleobiology/article/abs/evolution-of-the-bonecracking-model-in-carnivorans-cranial-functional-morphology-of-the-pliopleistocene-cursorial-hyaenid-chasmaporthetes-lunensis-mammalia-carnivora/B631F9559D330E6E2FC6354E9FD008C9 |journal=[[Paleobiology (journal)|Paleobiology]] |language=en |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=140–156 |doi=10.1666/09045.1 |issn=0094-8373 |access-date=7 March 2026 |via=Cambridge Core|url-access=subscription }} A study on the genus' [[premolar]] intercuspid notches indicated ''Chasmaporthetes'' was likely [[hypercarnivore|hypercarnivorous]] rather than [[durophagous]] as its modern cousins (excluding the [[aardwolf]]) are.{{Cite journal |last1=Hartstone-Rose |first1=A. |date=25 May 2011 |title=Reconstructing the diets of extinct South African carnivorans from premolar 'intercuspid notch' morphology |url=https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00821.x |journal=[[Journal of Zoology]] |language=en |volume=285 |issue=2 |pages=119–127 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00821.x |issn=1469-7998 |access-date=10 April 2025 |via=Zoological Society of London|url-access=subscription }} The microstructure of the [[Enamel of teeth|enamel]] of ''C. lunensis lunensis'' consists of more gently folding enamel than that found in bone-crushing hyaenids, further supporting the notion that it was not a specialist [[Osteophagy|osteophage]].{{Cite journal |last1=Ferretti |first1=Marco P. |date=13 December 1999 |title=Tooth enamel structure in the hyaenid Chasmaporthetes lunensis lunensis from the Late Pliocene of Italy, with implications for feeding behavior |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.1999.10011189?casa_token=EVeLgPOp3YwAAAAA:7Yy34fG41WXG2ecEvzd8rDNgrBIg7KvOpBtAu2ooqmlY99KnX9B_KxTsHAw6w9GDdsZ1ec6miQ |journal=[[Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology]] |language=en |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=767–770 |doi=10.1080/02724634.1999.10011189 |issn=0272-4634 |access-date=12 January 2026 |via=Taylor and Francis Online|url-access=subscription }} [[Dental microwear]] of ''C. australis'' from Langebaanweg in [[South Africa]] shows that the species was hypercarnivorous and rarely engaged in durophagy; its dental microwear was similar to the modern [[lion]], which seldom consumes bone.{{Cite journal |last1=Stynder |first1=Deano D. |last2=Ungar |first2=Peter Stuart |last3=Scott |first3=Jessica R. |last4=Schubert |first4=Blaine W. |date=1 September 2012 |title=A Dental Microwear Texture Analysis of the Mio-Pliocene Hyaenids from Langebaanweg, South Africa |url=https://bioone.org/journals/acta-palaeontologica-polonica/volume-57/issue-3/app.2011.0053/A-Dental-Microwear-Texture-Analysis-of-the-Mio-Pliocene-Hyaenids/10.4202/app.2011.0053.full |journal=[[Acta Palaeontologica Polonica]] |language=en |volume=57 |issue=3 |pages=485–496 |doi=10.4202/app.2011.0053 |issn=0567-7920 |access-date=10 April 2025 |via=BioOne Digital Library|doi-access=free }}

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