Miacis

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Extinct genus of carnivores

title: "Miacis" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["carnivoraformes", "paleocene-mammals-of-north-america", "eocene-mammals-of-north-america", "prehistoric-placental-genera", "miacids", "transitional-fossils", "paleocene-carnivorans", "fossil-taxa-described-in-1872", "taxa-named-by-edward-drinker-cope"] description: "Extinct genus of carnivores" topic_path: "general/carnivoraformes" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miacis" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Extinct genus of carnivores ::

|fossil_range = early to middle Eocene |image = Miacis parvivorus Cope.jpg |image_caption = skull of Miacis parvivorus |display_parents = 2 |taxon = Miacis |authority = Cope, 1872 |type_species = †Miacis parvivorus |type_species_authority = Cope, 1872 |synonyms = |{{collapsible list |bullets=true |title=M. parvivorus: |Viverravus parvivorus (Matthew, 1899) |Vulpavus parvivorus (Cope, 1873)

Miacis ("small point") is an extinct genus of placental mammals from clade Carnivoraformes, that lived in North America from the early to middle Eocene.

Description

Miacis was five-clawed, similar in size to a stoat (~30 cm, tail not included), weighed between 1 and 7 kg, and likely had highly reversible hind feet that assisted in its arboreal lifestyle, similar to those of a squirrel. It retained some primitive characteristics such as a low skull, a long slender body, a long tail, and short legs. Miacis retained 44 teeth, although some reductions in this number were apparently in progress and some of the teeth were reduced in size.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Miacis_cropped.png" caption="Illustration of Miacis"] ::

The hind limbs were longer than the forelimbs, the pelvis was dog-like in form and structure, and some specialized traits were present in the vertebrae. It had retractable claws, agile joints for climbing, and binocular vision. Miacis and related forms had brains that were relatively larger than those of the creodonts, and the larger brain size as compared with body size probably reflects an increase in intelligence.

Like many other early carnivoramorphans, it was well suited for an arboreal climbing lifestyle with needle-sharp claws, limbs, and joints resembling modern carnivorans. Miacis was probably a very agile forest dweller that preyed upon smaller animals, such as small mammals, reptiles, and birds, and might also have eaten eggs and fruits.

Classification and phylogeny

Classification

::data[format=table title="style="text-align:center;border:1px solid gray;background-color:#ccccFF" |Genus: †''Miacis'' {{small|(Cope, 1872)}}"]

Species:Distribution of the species and type locality:Age:
†M. parvivorus (Cope, 1872)USA50,0 to 46,2 Ma
::

History of taxonomy

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Miacis_fossil_sites.PNG" caption="The locations of fossil site where ''"Miacis"'' fossils have been found."] ::

Since Edward Drinker Cope first described the genus Miacis in 1872, at least twenty other species have been assigned to Miacis. However, these species share few synapomorphies other than plesiomorphic characteristics of miacids in general. This reflects the fact that Miacis has been treated as a wastebasket taxon and contains a diverse collection of species that belong to the stemgroup within the Carnivoraformes. Many of the species originally assigned to Miacis have since been assigned to other genera and, apart from the type species, Miacis parvivorus, the remaining species are often referred to with Miacis in quotations (e.g. "Miacis" latidens). The following table lists the former Miacis species in chronological order of their original description and notes the reassignments to other genera.

::data[format=table]

Species:Type locality:Status and notes:
M. sylvestris (Marsh, 1872)Bridger Formation (Wyoming, USA)now assigned to genus Harpalodon as Harpalodon sylvestris
M. vulpinus (Scott & Osborn, 1887)Uinta Basin (Utah, USA)Miocyon scotti]]''
M. uintensis (Osborn, 1895)Uinta Basin (Utah, USA)now assigned to genus Prodaphaenus as Prodaphaenus uintensis
M. hargeri (Wortman, 1901)Bridger Formation (Wyoming, USA)recognised as close relative to genus Lycarion
M. washakius (Wortman, 1901)Bridger Formation (Wyoming, USA)now assigned to genus Neovulpavus as Neovulpavus washakius
M. medius (Matthew, 1909)Bridger Formation (Wyoming, USA)now assigned to genus Lycarion as Lycarion medius
M. exiguus (Matthew & Granger, 1915)Clark's Fork Basin (Wyoming, USA)recognised as close relative to genus Dormaalocyon
M. latidens (Matthew & Granger, 1915)Clark's Fork Basin (Wyoming, USA)classified as a species of carnivoraform mammals outside of genus Miacis
M. invictus (Matthew & Granger, 1925)Irdin Manha Formation (Inner Mongolia, China)classified as a species of carnivoraform mammals outside of genus Miacis
M. hookwayi (Stock, 1934)Tapo Canyon (California, USA)classified as a species of carnivoraform mammals outside of genus Miacis
M. gracilis (Clark, 1939)Uinta Basin (Utah, USA)classified as a species of carnivoraform mammals outside of genus Miacis
M. latouri (Quinet, 1966)Dormaal (Flemish Brabant, Belgium)now assigned to genus Dormaalocyon as Dormaalocyon latouri
M. lushiensis (Chow, 1975)Shanghuang Quarry (Jiangsu, China)classified as a species of carnivoraform mammals outside of genus Miacis
M. deutschi (Gingerich, 1983)Clark's Fork Basin (Wyoming, USA)classified as a species of carnivoraform mammals outside of genus Miacis
M. petilus (Gingerich, 1983)Clark's Fork Basin (Wyoming, USA)classified as a species of carnivoraform mammals outside of genus Miacis
M. winkleri (Gingerich, 1983)Clark's Fork Basin (Wyoming, USA)now assigned to genus Gracilocyon as type species Gracilocyon winkleri
M. australis (Gustafson, 1986)Rifle Range Hollow or Blue Cliff Horizon (Texas, USA)last1=Tomiya
M. cognitus Gustafson, 1986Reeves Bonebed (Texas, USA)now assigned to genus Gustafsonia as Gustafsonia cognita in family Amphicyonidae
M. thailandicus (Ducrocq et al., 1992)Krabi (South Thailand)now assigned to genus Xinyuictis as Xinyuictis thailandicus
M. boqinghensis (Huang et al., 1999)Huoshipo, Guojiazhuang Village, Hedi Formation (China)classified as a species of carnivoraform mammals outside of genus Miacis
M. rosei (Heinrich et al., 2008)Wyoming, USAnow assigned to genus Gracilocyon as Gracilocyon rosei
M. rundlei (Hooker, 2010)Abbey Wood, England, UKnow assigned to genus Gracilocyon as Gracilocyon rundlei
M. solei (Smith & Smith, 2010)Dormaal (Flemish Brabant, Belgium)now assigned to genus Gracilocyon as Gracilocyon solei
::

Phylogeny

The phylogenetic relationships of genus Miacis are shown in the following cladogram: |grouplabel1={{clade labels |label1=†Gracilocyon/Oodectes clade |top1=17% |label2=†Vulpavus clade |top2=58% |label1=Carnivoramorpha|sublabel1=(Carnivora [sensu lato]) |1={{clade |thickness2=2 |thickness3=2 |thickness4=2 |label1=†Viverravidae|sublabel1=sensu lato |1={{clade |thickness2=2 |thickness3=2 |1=†Viverravoidea |label2=?|state2=dotted |2=†Carnivoramorpha sp. (UALVP 50993 & UALVP 50994) |label3=?|state3=dotted |3=†Ravenictis |label2=?|state2=dotted |2=†Carnivoramorpha sp. (UALVP 31176) |label3=?|state3=dotted |3=†Carnivoramorpha sp. (USNM 538395) |label4=?|state4=dotted |4=†"Sinopa" insectivorus |label5=Carnivoraformes |5={{clade |thickness4=2 |label1=Clade "B" |1={{clade |thickness=2 |thickness7=1 |thickness8=1 |color=blue |color7=black |color8=black |1={{clade |thickness=2 |color=blue |1={{clade |thickness=2 |thickness1=1 |color=blue |color1=black |grouplabel1x=†Gracilocyon/Oodectes clade |barbegin1=magenta |barend1=magenta |1={{clade |thickness=2 |color=yellow |1={{clade |thickness=2 |thickness5=1 |thickness6=1 |color=yellow |color1=green |color2=green |color3=green |color4=green |color5=black |color6=black |grouplabel2=†Gracilocyon |1={{clade |thickness=2 |thickness1=1 |thickness2=1 |color=green |color1=black |color2=black |1=†Eogale |2=†"Miacis" sp. (CM 67873 & CM 77299) |3=†Gracilocyon igniculus |barbegin3=green |4=†Gracilocyon winkleri |bar4=green |2=†Gracilocyon solei |bar2=green |3=†Gracilocyon sp. (Jibou, Romania) |bar3=green |barend4=green |4={{clade |thickness=2 |color=green |1=†Gracilocyon rosei |2=†Gracilocyon rundlei |5=†Paramiacis |6=†Paroodectes |7= |footer= |footerstyle=text-align:center;font-weight:bold;padding:2px 10px 1px 1px; |2= |3= |4= |2= |2= |footer= |footerstyle=text-align:center;font-weight:bold;padding:2px 10px 1px 1px; |2={{clade |thickness=2 |color=blue |1= |2= |3= |4= |5={{clade |thickness=2 |color=blue |1= |2= |6={{clade |thickness=2 |thickness2=1 |color=blue |color2=black |1= |2=†Xinyuictis |7=†Zodiocyon |8={{clade |1=†Miocyon |2=†Simamphicyon |9={{clade |thickness=2 |thickness2=1 |thickness3=1 |color=blue |color2=black |color3=black |1= |2=†Messelogale |3=†Quercygalidae |label2=Clade "C" |2={{clade |1={{clade |grouplabel1x=†Vulpavus clade |barbegin1=red |barend1=red |1={{clade |1={{clade |thickness=2 |color=purple |grouplabel2=†Vulpavus |1={{clade |thickness=2 |color=purple |1={{clade |thickness=2 |thickness1=1 |color=purple |color1=black |1=†Palaearctonyx |label2=(†Phlaodectes) |2=†Vulpavus ovatus [[File:Vulpavus (Phlaodectes) ovatus (coloured).jpg|55px]] |barbegin2=purple |2=†Vulpavus profectus |bar2=purple |3={{clade |thickness=2 |color=purple |1=†Vulpavus australis |bar1=purple |2=†Vulpavus canavus |bar2=purple |2=†Vulpavus completus |bar2=purple |3=†Vulpavus farsonensis |bar3=purple |4=†Vulpavus palustris |barend4=purple |2=†Vassacyon |2={{clade |1=†Dormaalocyon [[File:Dormaalocyon-latouri (white background).jpg|50px]] |2=†"Miacis" exiguus |2=†"Miacis" deutschi |3=†Africtis |label4=?|state4=dotted |4=†Carnivoraformes undet. Genus B |5=†Dawsonicyon |6=†"Miacis" boqinghensis |7=†"Miacis" hookwayi |8=†"Miacis" latidens |9=†"Miacis" petilus |10={{clade |thickness1=2 |thickness2=2 |label1=?|state1=dotted |1=†Carnivoraformes undet. Genus A |label2=†Miacis |2=†Miacis parvivorous [[File:Miacis restoration.jpg|50px]] |label11=Clade "D" |11={{clade |thickness2=2 |1={{clade |1=†Lycarion |2=†"Miacis" hargeri |label2=?|state2=dotted |2=†Ceruttia |3=†"Miacis" invictus |4=†"Miacis" lushiensis |5=†Neovulpavus |6={{clade |thickness3=2 |1={{clade |1=†Harpalodon |2=†Procynodictis |2=†Prodaphaenus |label3=?|state3=dotted |3=†Walshius |4={{clade |1=†"Miacis" gracilis |2=†Tapocyon |3=Carnivora (sensu stricto) [[File:Dogs,_jackals,_wolves,and_foxes(Plate_XI).jpg|50px]]

References

References

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  2. J. L. Wortman and W. D. Matthew (1899.) [https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/bitstream/handle/2246/1535//v2/dspace/ingest/pdfSource/bul/B012a06.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y "The ancestry of certain members of the Canidae, the Viverridae, and Procyonidae."] Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 12(6):109-138
  3. E. D. Cope (1873) [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/On_Some_Eocene_Mammals_Obtained_by_Haydens_Geological_Survey_of_1872.pdf "On some Eocene mammals, obtained by Hayden's Geological Survey of 1872."] Paleontological Bulletin 12:1-6
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  18. W. D. Matthew and W. Granger (1915.) [https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/handle/2246/1373 "A revision of the Lower Eocene Wasatch and Wind River faunas."] Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 34(1):1-103
  19. Matthew W. D. & Granger W. (1925.) [https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/bitstream/handle/2246/3182//v2/dspace/ingest/pdfSource/nov/N0198.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y "New mammals from the Irdin Manha Eocene of Mongolia."] American Museum Novitates 198:1–10.
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  21. Clark, John (1939.) [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/52326863#page/457/mode/1up "''Miacis gracilis'', a new carnivore from the Uinta Eocene."] Annals of The Carnegie Museum '''27''', 349-370
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  26. (2016). "Whence the beardogs? Reappraisal of the Middle to Late Eocene 'Miacis' from Texas, USA, and the origin of Amphicyonidae (Mammalia, Carnivora)". Royal Society Open Science.
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carnivoraformespaleocene-mammals-of-north-americaeocene-mammals-of-north-americaprehistoric-placental-generamiacidstransitional-fossilspaleocene-carnivoransfossil-taxa-described-in-1872taxa-named-by-edward-drinker-cope