Evolution What the Fossils Say and Why it Matters

FIGURE 13.17. The family trees of the Felidae, or cat family, and of the Nimravidae, or “false cats,” which
parallel cats in many ways but are not closely related. (Drawing by Carl Buell)

Eocene

Nimravids (False Cats) Pogonodon

Dinictis

Eusmilus

Hoplophoneus

Dinaelurus

Nimravus

Syrtosmilus

Barbourofelis

Million

years

Eusmilus

Hoplophoneus

Dinictis

Barbourofelis

Vampyrictis

Vishnusmilus

Prosansanosmilus Sansanosmilus

Homotherium

Machairodus

Smilodon

Megantereon Smilodon

Felis

Felis

Dinofelis

Pseudaelurus

Miracinonyx

Metailurus

Paramachairodus

Acinonyx

Acinonyx

Proailurus

Proailurus Proailurus

Homotherium

Homotherium

Dinofelis

Viverravid

Ancestor

Felids (True Cats)

?

?

Eofelis

Quercylurus

Oligocene Miocene Plio Pl

Panthera

Panthera

44 40 36 32 28 24 20 16 12 8 4 0