30-Million-Year-Old Fossil Reveals a Short, Stocky Ancient Dog Built for Ambush Hunting
Learn about a 30-million-year-old dog that climbed and ambushed prey, but lacked the ability to run for long distances like many modern dogs.
A 30-million-year-old fossil discovered at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon revealed the remains of an ancient dog species called Mesocyon coryphaeus. Initially thought to be a sheep, camel, or pig relative, the fossil's true identity was uncovered years later. The most complete skeleton of the ancient species was pieced together by University of Michigan paleontologist Anne Kort, who described Mesocyon as short, stocky, and best suited for ambushing prey rather than long-distance running.
Kort noted that Mesocyon's traits provided insight into how dog evolution adapted to changing environments.
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