HOME | DD

Description
The most notable Metatherians at the Late Miocene Optima site in Oklahoma were both predators belonging to the successful family Theriodelphidae. This group originated during the Late Oligocene and eventually became the dominant mammalian carnivores on the northern continents around 20 million years ago. Adapting well to dry and open environments, these animals tended to posses fairly short limbs, long tails and very powerful jaws equipped with shearing and crushing carnassials. The genus Soccorolestes, which was commonplace across both Canada and the United States, was a quoll-like ambush predator that preyed on small mammals, birds and hatchling non-avian dinosaurs. It’s larger cousin Metameles was a 1m long fossorial carnivore, with a robust build and proportionally massive skull that was adapted for crushing bone. Weighing up to 13kg, this formidable animal fed on other fossorial species such as Curtotherium and other Terralabids but was probably capable of targeting small non-avian dinosaurs if the chance presented itself. Metameles was a member of the subfamily Thylacoguloninae, which first emerged during the Middle Miocene in what is now India roughly 17 million years ago, with the oldest member of this lineage being the quoll-like Sivalidelphys. Basal forms were relatively small and remained semi-arboreal, although began to grow larger and more massive as the Miocene progressed. These more derived members of the group are defined by their stocky builds, powerful jaws and terrestrial adaptations, evolving to prey on a wealth of burrowing mammals that diversified greatly during the Miocene. Metameles was a genus endemic to Late Miocene North America, developing from the slightly younger and similar Thylacomeles. Thylacogulonines died out in North America at some time during the Pliocene for poorly understood reasons, with the two living taxa being native to the Middle East, India, South East Asia and parts of the Central Asian Steppe region.

Art by Sheather888.

Description
The most notable Metatherians at the Late Miocene Optima site in Oklahoma were both predators belonging to the successful family Theriodelphidae. This group originated during the Late Oligocene and eventually became the dominant mammalian carnivores on the northern continents around 20 million years ago. Adapting well to dry and open environments, these animals tended to posses fairly short limbs, long tails and very powerful jaws equipped with shearing and crushing carnassials. The genus Soccorolestes, which was commonplace across both Canada and the United States, was a quoll-like ambush predator that preyed on small mammals, birds and hatchling non-avian dinosaurs. It’s larger cousin Metameles was a 1m long fossorial carnivore, with a robust build and proportionally massive skull that was adapted for crushing bone. Weighing up to 13kg, this formidable animal fed on other fossorial species such as Curtotherium and other Terralabids but was probably capable of targeting small non-avian dinosaurs if the chance presented itself. Metameles was a member of the subfamily Thylacoguloninae, which first emerged during the Middle Miocene in what is now India roughly 17 million years ago, with the oldest member of this lineage being the quoll-like Sivalidelphys. Basal forms were relatively small and remained semi-arboreal, although began to grow larger and more massive as the Miocene progressed. These more derived members of the group are defined by their stocky builds, powerful jaws and terrestrial adaptations, evolving to prey on a wealth of burrowing mammals that diversified greatly during the Miocene. Metameles was a genus endemic to Late Miocene North America, developing from the slightly younger and similar Thylacomeles. Thylacogulonines died out in North America at some time during the Pliocene for poorly understood reasons, with the two living taxa being native to the Middle East, India, South East Asia and parts of the Central Asian Steppe region.

Art by Sheather888.