Carnivoran evolution

[Thomas_R_HOLTZ@umail.umd.edu (th81)]

>On Mon, 22 Jan 1996, Nicholas J. Pharris wrote:
>
>Cladists - descendants of last common ancestor of Tom and Andre the
>Seal?  Or did felids and canids radiate before the fissiped/pinniped 
>branch?  Of course, these aren't archosaurs, but any thoughts on the 
>subject would intrigue me.  Thanks.
>
According to recent work, Carnivora is divided into Feliformes (which
contains cats, hyaenas, vivverids, mongooses [mongeese?]) and Caniformes
(which contains dogs and the arcotoids: mustelids, racoons, red pandas,
bears, and pinnipeds.  Bears are, in this scheme, the closest living
relatives of the Pinnidpedia, although some have argued for a diphyletic
seal group, arising twice within the Arctoidea).

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist
Dept. of Geology
University of Maryland
College Park, MD  20742
Email:Thomas_R_HOLTZ@umail.umd.edu (th81)
Fax: 301-314-9661
Phone:301-405-4084