Parictis is an extinct arctoid, possibly the earliest genus of bears known,[1] though a recent variety of morphological evidence links amphicynodontines with pinnipeds.[2][3][4] It was a very small and graceful arctoid with a skull only 7 cm long. Parictis first appeared in North America in the Late Eocene (around 38 million years ago), but it did not arrive in Eurasia until the Miocene.[5] Some suggest that Parictis may have emigrated from Asia into North America during the major sea level low about 37 mya, because of the continued evolution of the Amphicynodontinae into the Hemicyoninae in Asia.[6] Although no Parictis fossils have been found in East Asia, Parictis does appear in Eurasia and Africa, but not until the Miocene.[5]
This article related to prehistoric animals from order Carnivora is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.