Zoology: General

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Creodonta

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences | 1999 | | Copyright

Creodonta (class Mammalia) The more ancient of the two placental mammalian carnivorous orders, an extinct order comprising two families (Oxyaenidae and Hyaenodontidae), which appeared in the late Cretaceous and dwindled to extinction in the Pliocene. Oxyaenids (e.g. Oxyaena) were rather weasel like, although some of them were large (Patriofelis was the size of a bear). Hyaenodonts had narrower skulls, longer legs, and well-developed carnassials, and diversified into forms reminiscent of the dogs, cats, and hyenas. Only the hyaenodonts survived the Eocene, and filled the role of scavengers until they were displaced by the modern hyena. Creodonts were small-brained and slow-moving, and are not closely related to modern carnivores.

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "Creodonta." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "Creodonta." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-Creodonta.html

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "Creodonta." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-Creodonta.html

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Creodonta

A Dictionary of Zoology | 1999 | | Copyright

Creodonta (cohort Ferungulata, superorder Ferae) The more ancient of the two placental mammalian carnivorous orders, an extinct order that comprises two families (Oxyaenidae and Hyaenodontidae) which appeared in the late Palaeocene and dwindled to extinction in the Pliocene. Oxyaenids were rather mustelid, although some were large; hyaenodonts had more narrow skulls, longer legs, and well-developed carnassials. They diversified into forms reminiscent of the dogs, cats, and hyenas of the order Carnivora. Only the hyaenodonts survived the Eocene and filled the role of scavengers until they were displaced by the modern hyena. Creodonts were small-brained and slow-moving, and are not related closely to modern carnivores.

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Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "Creodonta." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Creodonta." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Creodonta.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Creodonta." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Creodonta.html

Learn more about citation styles