UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS 



BULLETIN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 



GEOLOGY 



Vol. 7, No. 18, pp. 359-372 Issued September 23, 1913 



NOTES ON THE CANID GENUS 

 TEPHROCYON 



BY 



JOHN C. MEREIAM 



The genus Tephrocyon includes a group of American canids 

 with characters in some respects foreshadowing Aelurodon, and 

 in other points resemhling Canis. These forms range from the 

 middle Miocene to early Pliocene, and are found distributed over 

 the western portion of the continent. 



The material representing the described forms is mostly frag- 

 mentary and imperfectly known, and the species were in a con- 

 siderable part originally referred to Canis in the absence of 

 clearly distinguishing characters. Since the description of the 

 generic type of Tephrocyon, based upon a good skull and den- 

 tition from the Middle Miocene of Oregon, it has been noted 

 that a number of the species from the West- American Miocene 

 which were previously referred to Canis find a place in this 

 genus; and it is probable that still other species of uncertain 

 position belong here. On the other hand, it is probable that 

 some of the species based on fragmentary material and referred 

 to Tephrocyon do not represent that genus. 



The following notes are presented with a view to bringing 

 together such information as is available relating to this group, 

 in the hope that this statement may serve to stimulate further 

 assembling of information, and more careful revision of the 

 forms related to Tephrocyon. 



