Oxyaenidae

From Freepedia

? Oxyaenidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Oxyaenidae
Subfamilies
Ambloctoninae  Oxyaeninae  Tytthaeninae

Oxyaenidae is an order of the extinct subclass Creodonta; it contains three subfamilies comprising four genera.

North American oxyaenids were the first creodonts to appear, during the late Paleocene. They were cat-like beasts which walked on flat feet, in contrast to today's carnivores which walk or run on their toes.

Oxyaenids were specialized carnivores feeding on birds, small mammals, eggs and insects, and they were capable of climbing trees, which is suggested by fossil evidence of their paws.

• INFRACLASS CREODONTA creodonts
  • Superorder Preptotheria
    • Order Oxyaenidae
      • Subfamily Abloctoninae
        • Genus Dormaalodon
      • Subfamily Oxyaeninae
        • Genus Oxyaena
        • Genus Sarkastodon
      • Subfamily Tytthaeninae
        • Genus Tytthaenis