A doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania has identified a new species of fossil dog: Cynarctus wangi. The specimen, found in Maryland, would have roamed the coast of eastern North America approximately 12 million years ago, at a time when massive sharks like megalodon swam in the oceans. The coyote-sized dog was a member of the extinct subfamily Borophaginae, commonly known as bone-crushing dogs because of their powerful jaws and broad teeth. Fossils from terrestrial species from this region and time period are relatively rare, thus the find helps paleontologists fill in important missing pieces about what prehistoric life was like on North America’s East Coast.
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This new dog gives us useful insight into the ecosystem of eastern North America between 12 and 13 million years ago.
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