Cormocyon

Cormocyon is an extinct genus of borophagine canids (bone-crushing dogs) that roamed North America during the Miocene epoch, approximately 20.4 to 13.6 million years ago (Arikareean to Hemingfordian stages). Fossil evidence indicates a relatively small size compared to later borophagines, suggesting a more opportunistic hunting style, possibly preying on smaller mammals and scavenging. Cormocyon is significant in understanding the evolutionary diversification of the Borophaginae subfamily, demonstrating a transitional form between earlier, more fox-like canids and the larger, more powerful bone-crushing forms that characterized later Miocene and Pliocene ecosystems. Its dentition reflects a more generalized diet compared to specialized bone-crackers like Borophagus, possessing less pronounced adaptations for osteophagy. Fossils of Cormocyon have been found in various locations across the United States.