Viverravidae ("ancestors of viverrids") is an extinct monophyletic family of mammals from extinct superfamily Viverravoidea within the clade Carnivoramorpha, that lived from the early Palaeocene to the late Eocene in North America, Europe and Asia. They were once thought to be the earliest carnivorans and ancestral to extant ones, but now are placed outside the order Carnivora based on cranial morphology as relatives (a plesion-group) to extant carnivorans.

General characteristics

Wang and Tedford propose that they arose in North America 66–60 million years ago, spread to Asia then later to Europe, and were the first carnivoramorphans and possessed the first true pair of carnassial teeth. In viverravids, the skull is elongated and the number of molars is reduced to two (M1/m1 and M2/m2 are present and M3/m3 are absent).

Classification and phylogeny

Classification

Taxonomy retrieved from the Paleobiology Database

Superfamily: †Viverravoidea (Wortman & Matthew, 1899) Family: †Viverravidae (Wortman & Matthew, 1899) Genus: †Orientictis (Huang & Zheng, 2005) †Orientictis spanios (Huang & Zheng, 2005) Genus: †Pappictidops (Qiu & Li, 1977) †Pappictidops acies (Wang, 1978) †Pappictidops obtusus (Wang, 1978) †Pappictidops orientalis (Qiu & Li, 1977) Genus: †Preonictis (Tong & Wang, 2006) †Preonictis youngi (Tong & Wang, 2006) Genus: †Variviverra (Tong & Wang, 2006) †Variviverra vegetatus (Tong & Wang, 2006) Incertae sedis: †Viverravidae sp. [CM 71188 & CM 71189] (Friscia & Rasmussen, 2010) Subfamily: †Didymictinae (Flynn & Galiano, 1982) Genus: †Bryanictis (MacIntyre, 1966) †Bryanictis microlestes (Simpson, 1935) †Bryanictis paulus (Meehan & Wilson, 2002) †Bryanictis terlinguae (Standhardt, 1986) Genus: †Didymictis (Cope, 1875) †Didymictis altidens (Cope, 1880) †Didymictis dellensis (Dorr, 1952) †Didymictis leptomylus (Cope, 1880) †Didymictis protenus (Cope, 1874) †Didymictis proteus (Polly, 1997) †Didymictis vancleveae (Robinson, 1966) †Didymictis sp. [Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium] (Dollo, 1909) Genus: †Intyrictis (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Intyrictis vanvaleni (MacIntyre, 1966) Genus: †Pristinictis (Fox & Youzwyshyn, 1994) †Pristinictis connata (Fox & Youzwyshyn, 1994) Genus: †Protictis (paraphyletic genus) (Matthew, 1937) †Protictis agastor (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Protictis haydenianus (Cope, 1882) †Protictis minor (Meehan & Wilson, 2002) †Protictis paralus (Holtzman, 1978) †Protictis simpsoni (Meehan & Wilson, 2002) Subgenus: †Protictoides (Flynn & Galiano, 1982) †Protictis aprophatos (Flynn & Galiano, 1982) Genus: †Raphictis (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Raphictis gausion (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Raphictis iota (Scott, 2008) †Raphictis machaera (Rankin, 2009) †Raphictis nanoptexis (Rankin, 2009) Incertae sedis: †"Deltatherium" durini (Van Valen, 1978) Subfamily: †Ictidopappinae (Van Valen, 1969) Genus: †Ictidopappus (Simpson, 1935) †Ictidopappus mustelinus (Simpson, 1935) Subfamily: †Viverravinae (Wortman & Matthew, 1899) Genus: †Simpsonictis (MacIntyre, 1962) †Simpsonictis jaynanneae (Rigby, 1980) †Simpsonictis pegus (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Simpsonictis tenuis (Simpson, 1935) Genus: †Viverravus (Marsh, 1872) †Viverravus acutus (Matthew & Granger, 1915) †Viverravus gracilis (Marsh, 1872) †Viverravus lawsoni (Hooker, 2010) †Viverravus laytoni (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Viverravus lutosus (Gazin, 1952) †Viverravus minutus (Wortman, 1901) †Viverravus politus (Matthew & Granger, 1915) †Viverravus rosei (Polly, 1997) †Viverravus sicarius (Matthew, 1909) †Viverravus sp. [V11141] (Meng, 1998) †Viverravus sp. [Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming] (Tomiya, 2021) Genus: †Viverriscus (Beard & Dawson, 2009) †Viverriscus omnivorus (Beard & Dawson, 2009)
Genus: †Orientictis (Huang & Zheng, 2005) †Orientictis spanios (Huang & Zheng, 2005) Genus: †Pappictidops (Qiu & Li, 1977) †Pappictidops acies (Wang, 1978) †Pappictidops obtusus (Wang, 1978) †Pappictidops orientalis (Qiu & Li, 1977) Genus: †Preonictis (Tong & Wang, 2006) †Preonictis youngi (Tong & Wang, 2006) Genus: †Variviverra (Tong & Wang, 2006) †Variviverra vegetatus (Tong & Wang, 2006) Incertae sedis: †Viverravidae sp. [CM 71188 & CM 71189] (Friscia & Rasmussen, 2010) Subfamily: †Didymictinae (Flynn & Galiano, 1982) Genus: †Bryanictis (MacIntyre, 1966) †Bryanictis microlestes (Simpson, 1935) †Bryanictis paulus (Meehan & Wilson, 2002) †Bryanictis terlinguae (Standhardt, 1986) Genus: †Didymictis (Cope, 1875) †Didymictis altidens (Cope, 1880) †Didymictis dellensis (Dorr, 1952) †Didymictis leptomylus (Cope, 1880) †Didymictis protenus (Cope, 1874) †Didymictis proteus (Polly, 1997) †Didymictis vancleveae (Robinson, 1966) †Didymictis sp. [Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium] (Dollo, 1909) Genus: †Intyrictis (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Intyrictis vanvaleni (MacIntyre, 1966) Genus: †Pristinictis (Fox & Youzwyshyn, 1994) †Pristinictis connata (Fox & Youzwyshyn, 1994) Genus: †Protictis (paraphyletic genus) (Matthew, 1937) †Protictis agastor (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Protictis haydenianus (Cope, 1882) †Protictis minor (Meehan & Wilson, 2002) †Protictis paralus (Holtzman, 1978) †Protictis simpsoni (Meehan & Wilson, 2002) Subgenus: †Protictoides (Flynn & Galiano, 1982) †Protictis aprophatos (Flynn & Galiano, 1982) Genus: †Raphictis (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Raphictis gausion (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Raphictis iota (Scott, 2008) †Raphictis machaera (Rankin, 2009) †Raphictis nanoptexis (Rankin, 2009) Incertae sedis: †"Deltatherium" durini (Van Valen, 1978)Subfamily: †Ictidopappinae (Van Valen, 1969) Genus: †Ictidopappus (Simpson, 1935) †Ictidopappus mustelinus (Simpson, 1935) Subfamily: †Viverravinae (Wortman & Matthew, 1899) Genus: †Simpsonictis (MacIntyre, 1962) †Simpsonictis jaynanneae (Rigby, 1980) †Simpsonictis pegus (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Simpsonictis tenuis (Simpson, 1935) Genus: †Viverravus (Marsh, 1872) †Viverravus acutus (Matthew & Granger, 1915) †Viverravus gracilis (Marsh, 1872) †Viverravus lawsoni (Hooker, 2010) †Viverravus laytoni (Gingerich & Winkler, 1985) †Viverravus lutosus (Gazin, 1952) †Viverravus minutus (Wortman, 1901) †Viverravus politus (Matthew & Granger, 1915) †Viverravus rosei (Polly, 1997) †Viverravus sicarius (Matthew, 1909) †Viverravus sp. [V11141] (Meng, 1998) †Viverravus sp. [Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming] (Tomiya, 2021) Genus: †Viverriscus (Beard & Dawson, 2009) †Viverriscus omnivorus (Beard & Dawson, 2009)

Phylogeny

The phylogenetic relationships of family Viverravidae are shown in the following cladogram:

†Protictis
CarnivoramorphaCarnivoraformes ? †Carnivoramorpha sp. (UALVP 31176) ? †Carnivoramorpha sp. (USNM 538395) ?"Sinopa" insectivorusViverravidae ?Ravenictis ? †Carnivoramorpha sp. (UALVP 50993 & UALVP 50994) †ViverravoideaViverravidaePappictidopsPappictidops aciesPappictidops obtususPappictidops orientalisOrientictisOrientictis spaniosPreonictisPreonictis youngiVariviverraVariviverra vegetatusIctidopappinaeIctidopappusIctidopappus mustelinusViverravinaeViverravusViverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosusViverravus acutusViverravus roseiViverravus laytoni ?Viverravus sp. (V11141) †Viverravus lawsoniViverravus politusViverriscusViverriscus omnivorusSimpsonictisSimpsonictis jaynanneaeSimpsonictis pegusSimpsonictis tenuis ? †Viverravidae sp. (CM 71188 & CM 71189) †DidymictinaeBryanictisBryanictis microlestesBryanictis paulusBryanictis terlinguaeIntyrictisIntyrictis vanvaleniProtictisProtictis haydenianusProtictis minorProtictis simpsoniRaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexisProtictis paralusProtictis agastor †(Protictoides) †Protictis aprophatosPristinictisPristinictis connata ?"Deltatherium" duriniDidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae sensu stricto sensu lato
Carnivoraformes
?†Carnivoramorpha sp. (UALVP 31176)
?†Carnivoramorpha sp. (USNM 538395)
?"Sinopa" insectivorus
Viverravidae?Ravenictis ? †Carnivoramorpha sp. (UALVP 50993 & UALVP 50994) †ViverravoideaViverravidaePappictidopsPappictidops aciesPappictidops obtususPappictidops orientalisOrientictisOrientictis spaniosPreonictisPreonictis youngiVariviverraVariviverra vegetatusIctidopappinaeIctidopappusIctidopappus mustelinusViverravinaeViverravusViverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosusViverravus acutusViverravus roseiViverravus laytoni ?Viverravus sp. (V11141) †Viverravus lawsoniViverravus politusViverriscusViverriscus omnivorusSimpsonictisSimpsonictis jaynanneaeSimpsonictis pegusSimpsonictis tenuis ? †Viverravidae sp. (CM 71188 & CM 71189) †DidymictinaeBryanictisBryanictis microlestesBryanictis paulusBryanictis terlinguaeIntyrictisIntyrictis vanvaleniProtictisProtictis haydenianusProtictis minorProtictis simpsoniRaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexisProtictis paralusProtictis agastor †(Protictoides) †Protictis aprophatosPristinictisPristinictis connata ?"Deltatherium" duriniDidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae sensu stricto
?Ravenictis
?†Carnivoramorpha sp. (UALVP 50993 & UALVP 50994)
ViverravoideaViverravidaePappictidopsPappictidops aciesPappictidops obtususPappictidops orientalisOrientictisOrientictis spaniosPreonictisPreonictis youngiVariviverraVariviverra vegetatusIctidopappinaeIctidopappusIctidopappus mustelinusViverravinaeViverravusViverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosusViverravus acutusViverravus roseiViverravus laytoni ?Viverravus sp. (V11141) †Viverravus lawsoniViverravus politusViverriscusViverriscus omnivorusSimpsonictisSimpsonictis jaynanneaeSimpsonictis pegusSimpsonictis tenuis ? †Viverravidae sp. (CM 71188 & CM 71189) †DidymictinaeBryanictisBryanictis microlestesBryanictis paulusBryanictis terlinguaeIntyrictisIntyrictis vanvaleniProtictisProtictis haydenianusProtictis minorProtictis simpsoniRaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexisProtictis paralusProtictis agastor †(Protictoides) †Protictis aprophatosPristinictisPristinictis connata ?"Deltatherium" duriniDidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae sensu stricto
ViverravidaePappictidopsPappictidops aciesPappictidops obtususPappictidops orientalisOrientictisOrientictis spaniosPreonictisPreonictis youngiVariviverraVariviverra vegetatusIctidopappinaeIctidopappusIctidopappus mustelinusViverravinaeViverravusViverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosusViverravus acutusViverravus roseiViverravus laytoni ?Viverravus sp. (V11141) †Viverravus lawsoniViverravus politusViverriscusViverriscus omnivorusSimpsonictisSimpsonictis jaynanneaeSimpsonictis pegusSimpsonictis tenuis ? †Viverravidae sp. (CM 71188 & CM 71189) †DidymictinaeBryanictisBryanictis microlestesBryanictis paulusBryanictis terlinguaeIntyrictisIntyrictis vanvaleniProtictisProtictis haydenianusProtictis minorProtictis simpsoniRaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexisProtictis paralusProtictis agastor †(Protictoides) †Protictis aprophatosPristinictisPristinictis connata ?"Deltatherium" duriniDidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae
PappictidopsPappictidops aciesPappictidops obtususPappictidops orientalisOrientictisOrientictis spaniosPreonictisPreonictis youngiVariviverraVariviverra vegetatusIctidopappinaeIctidopappusIctidopappus mustelinus
PappictidopsPappictidops aciesPappictidops obtususPappictidops orientalisOrientictisOrientictis spaniosPreonictisPreonictis youngiVariviverraVariviverra vegetatus
PappictidopsPappictidops aciesPappictidops obtususPappictidops orientalis
Pappictidops aciesPappictidops obtusus
Pappictidops acies
Pappictidops obtusus
Pappictidops orientalis
OrientictisOrientictis spanios
PreonictisPreonictis youngi
VariviverraVariviverra vegetatus
IctidopappinaeIctidopappusIctidopappus mustelinus
IctidopappinaeIctidopappusIctidopappus mustelinus
IctidopappusIctidopappus mustelinus
ViverravinaeViverravusViverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosusViverravus acutusViverravus roseiViverravus laytoni ?Viverravus sp. (V11141) †Viverravus lawsoniViverravus politusViverriscusViverriscus omnivorusSimpsonictisSimpsonictis jaynanneaeSimpsonictis pegusSimpsonictis tenuis ? †Viverravidae sp. (CM 71188 & CM 71189) †DidymictinaeBryanictisBryanictis microlestesBryanictis paulusBryanictis terlinguaeIntyrictisIntyrictis vanvaleniProtictisProtictis haydenianusProtictis minorProtictis simpsoniRaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexisProtictis paralusProtictis agastor †(Protictoides) †Protictis aprophatosPristinictisPristinictis connata ?"Deltatherium" duriniDidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae
ViverravinaeViverravusViverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosusViverravus acutusViverravus roseiViverravus laytoni ?Viverravus sp. (V11141) †Viverravus lawsoniViverravus politusViverriscusViverriscus omnivorusSimpsonictisSimpsonictis jaynanneaeSimpsonictis pegusSimpsonictis tenuis
ViverravusViverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosusViverravus acutusViverravus roseiViverravus laytoni ?Viverravus sp. (V11141) †Viverravus lawsoniViverravus politus
Viverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosusViverravus acutusViverravus roseiViverravus laytoni
Viverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosusViverravus acutusViverravus rosei
Viverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming) †Viverravus gracilisViverravus lutosus
Viverravus minutusViverravus sicariusViverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming)
Viverravus minutus
Viverravus sicarius
Viverravus sp. (Locality Group 2, Washakie Basin, Wyoming)
Viverravus gracilis
Viverravus lutosus
Viverravus acutus
Viverravus rosei
Viverravus laytoni
?Viverravus sp. (V11141)
Viverravus lawsoni
Viverravus politus
ViverriscusViverriscus omnivorusSimpsonictisSimpsonictis jaynanneaeSimpsonictis pegusSimpsonictis tenuis
ViverriscusViverriscus omnivorus
SimpsonictisSimpsonictis jaynanneaeSimpsonictis pegusSimpsonictis tenuis
Simpsonictis jaynanneae
Simpsonictis pegus
Simpsonictis tenuis
?†Viverravidae sp. (CM 71188 & CM 71189)
DidymictinaeBryanictisBryanictis microlestesBryanictis paulusBryanictis terlinguaeIntyrictisIntyrictis vanvaleniProtictisProtictis haydenianusProtictis minorProtictis simpsoniRaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexisProtictis paralusProtictis agastor †(Protictoides) †Protictis aprophatosPristinictisPristinictis connata ?"Deltatherium" duriniDidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae
BryanictisBryanictis microlestesBryanictis paulusBryanictis terlinguaeIntyrictisIntyrictis vanvaleni
BryanictisBryanictis microlestesBryanictis paulusBryanictis terlinguae
Bryanictis microlestes
Bryanictis paulus
Bryanictis terlinguae
IntyrictisIntyrictis vanvaleni
ProtictisProtictis haydenianusProtictis minorProtictis simpsoniRaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexisProtictis paralusProtictis agastor †(Protictoides) †Protictis aprophatosPristinictisPristinictis connata ?"Deltatherium" duriniDidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae
Protictis haydenianus
Protictis minor
Protictis simpsoni
RaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexisProtictis paralusProtictis agastor †(Protictoides) †Protictis aprophatosPristinictisPristinictis connata ?"Deltatherium" duriniDidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae
RaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexisProtictis paralus
RaphictisRaphictis gausionRaphictis iotaRaphictis machaeraRaphictis nanoptexis
Raphictis gausion
Raphictis iota
Raphictis machaera
Raphictis nanoptexis
Protictis paralus
Protictis agastor †(Protictoides) †Protictis aprophatosPristinictisPristinictis connata ?"Deltatherium" duriniDidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae
Protictis agastor
†(Protictoides)Protictis aprophatos
PristinictisPristinictis connata
?"Deltatherium" durini
DidymictisDidymictis dellensisDidymictis proteus ?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium) †Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae
Didymictis dellensis
Didymictis proteus
?Didymictis sp. (Erquelinnes, Hainaut, Belgium)
Didymictis altidensDidymictis leptomylusDidymictis protenusDidymictis vancleveae
Didymictis altidens
Didymictis leptomylus
Didymictis protenus
Didymictis vancleveae
sensu stricto
sensu lato

See also