Oct 13, 2018
A Hesperocyon gregarius skull from the Field Museum. This species was among the earliest canids to appear and is considered ancestral to many later species, including the now-extinct Borophagine line of dogs. It was very small, with specimens estimated to weigh 3.7-3.8 lbs. Hesperocyon was not very dog-like in appearance (strongly resembling a raccoon or civet) but it’s dentition places it firmly in the Canidae family. The species lasted for around 11 million years, existing between 42.5-31.0 million years ago.
