Researchers studying fossils from Spain have identified a prehistoric "bear-dog" that offers new clues about the evolution of some of the ancient world's leading predators.
Recovered near Barcelona, the animal dates to about 15.9 million years ago and appears to rank among the earliest known members of its lineage.
What happened?
A team of paleontologists reported the discovery of a new amphicyonid species in Spain's Vallès-Penedès Basin, based on fossil remains from the region.
They named the animal Paludocyon moyasolai, according to Sci.News.
Amphicyonids, commonly called bear-dogs, were an extinct group of meat-eating mammals that combined traits seen in bears and dogs while being neither one.
Paludocyon moyasolai lived in the Middle Miocene, when this part of present-day Spain was warm, wooded, and marked by shallow lakes.
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The remains came from the els Casots fossil site and consist of a partial skull with most of the teeth still present, plus a lower molar found separately.
Scientists said the species stands out for the shape of its molars, including a second upper molar broader than the first and an "exceptionally large and highly developed" third upper molar — a combination not reported in other Paludocyon species.
Why does it matter?
Because teeth and skulls preserve clues to diet, behavior, and ancestry, finds like this can sharpen scientists' picture of extinct predators.
In this case, the fossils indicate that Paludocyon moyasolai may be the basal species of its genus, offering a clearer view of how these carnivores branched out.
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It also feeds into a broader classification question. The study suggests the longstanding genus Cynelos may not represent a single natural evolutionary group, whereas Paludocyon still appears to hold together as a valid lineage.
Fossil discoveries also help researchers reconstruct ancient ecosystems and understand how animals responded to shifting habitats over deep time.
They can inform studies of biodiversity, extinction, and the role environments play in shaping the life that endures within them.
What are people saying?
The researchers emphasized how important amphicyonids once were, writing: "The Amphicyonidae were an important component of carnivoran assemblages in North America and Eurasia during much of the Cenozoic Era."
They also said the new fossil helps clarify the family tree: "The phylogenetic analysis indicates that Cynelos is paraphyletic but supports the monophyly of Paludocyon, with the new species being recovered as its basal-most member."
The authors added that the analysis "supports a distant relationship between the Cynelos species from Europe (Cynelos rugosidens and Cynelos lemanensis) and the Paludocyon clade, justifying their classification as distinct genera."
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