carnivorans

Moreover, domestic dogs occupy a range of novel shapes outside the domain of wild carnivorans.

"Intraspecific macroevolution" within domestic dog breeds - The Panda's Thumb 2010

Nandinia is not close to civets and genets, but is in fact a basal feliformian (Flynn et al. 2005); oriental linsangs (Prionodon) are not viverrids, but in fact the sister-taxon to cats (Gaubert & Cordeiro-Estrela 2006, Gaubert & Veron 2003); and Madagascan carnivorans are also not viverrids, but closer to mongooses (Gaubert et al. 2005).

That’s no mystery carnivore (part I) Darren Naish 2007

Nandinia is not close to civets and genets, but is in fact a basal feliformian (Flynn et al. 2005); oriental linsangs (Prionodon) are not viverrids, but in fact the sister-taxon to cats (Gaubert & Cordeiro-Estrela 2006, Gaubert & Veron 2003); and Madagascan carnivorans are also not viverrids, but closer to mongooses (Gaubert et al. 2005).

Archive 2007-01-01 Darren Naish 2007

The way the animal holds its long hindlimbs (referring here to the photo showing the animal from behind) and the suggestion of a patagium now make sense, and the unusual curving shape of the long tail matches the tail posture reported for giant flying squirrels (Meijaard et al. 2006, p. 321) and is unlike that of viverrids and other carnivorans.

Archive 2007-01-01 Darren Naish 2007

The way the animal holds its long hindlimbs (referring here to the photo showing the animal from behind) and the suggestion of a patagium now make sense, and the unusual curving shape of the long tail matches the tail posture reported for giant flying squirrels (Meijaard et al. 2006, p. 321) and is unlike that of viverrids and other carnivorans.

That’s no mystery carnivore (part II)… it’s a giant squirrel! Darren Naish 2007

King (1983) showed that in most seals, cervical column length is between 17 and 19% of the total length of the vertebral column – not different from terrestrial carnivorans like dogs (also 17%).

Archive 2006-02-01 Darren Naish 2006

Recent modelling work on population viability in large Pleistocene carnivorans (O'Regan et al. 2002) has shown that even glacial refugia the size of the Iberian and Italian peninsulas were not big enough for large felids to survive in when these populations became isolated, as they apparently did during the Pleistocene glaciations (though see previous blog, and I have more on this subject to add soon).

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

Update (added 5-8-2006): a new paper just published by Nishahara et al. (2006) has reported new genetic support for a laurasiatherian clade composed of bats, perissodactyls, carnivorans and pangolins.

Archive 2006-08-01 Darren Naish 2006

Update (added 5-8-2006): a new paper just published by Nishahara et al. (2006) has reported new genetic support for a laurasiatherian clade composed of bats, perissodactyls, carnivorans and pangolins.

We flightless primates Darren Naish 2006

That is, they possess the diagnostic features seen in cat tracks, but not in those of dogs and other carnivorans.

Archive 2006-02-01 Darren Naish 2006