Proborhyaena gigantea

Proborhyaena (Proborhyaena Ameghino, 1897)

Infraclass: Marsupialia

Order: †Sparassodonta

Superfamily: Borhyaenoidea

Family:†Proborhyaenidae

Species: Proborhyaena gigantea

Dimensions: length - 3,3 m, height - 80 сm, weight - 100 - 200 kg

Temporal range: lived in South America since the Eocene until the Oligocene.

Proborhyaenidae is an extinct family of metatherians mammals of the order Sparassodonta, which lived in South America since the Eocene until the Oligocene. Sometimes it have been included as a subfamily of their relatives borhyaenids (as Proborhyaeninae). Members of this family were carnivores, usually large, being among the largest representatives of the sparassodonts and carnivore metatherians; the species Proborhyaena gigantea could reach 200 kg, a size comparable to the bears.
It was a carnivore with a peculiar teeth: its fangs were projected forward and also would not stop growing. This is complemented with robust skull, 50-60 cm long, and a powerful and muscular neck.
Although some experts believe that usually, this prehistoric predator rather than hunt, began to steal prey from other predators (size permitting). And thanks to the wear of the teeth, experts have concluded that it was dedicated to crushing bones to eat: from animals hunted either carrion than it could take. The denture reminds Tasmanian devils now living today.