Ursavus elmensis
Encyclopedia
Ursavus elmensis is an extinct species
of primitive bear endemic to Europe
during the Miocene
living from ~16—13.7 Mya, existing for approximately .
This animal was a predecessor of the modern bear
and is recognized as the first species of true bear to have existed. Ursavus elmensis appears to have been only the size of a very small dog
with dog-like features. It was a ground-dwelling
omnivore
, or hypocarnivore
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of primitive bear endemic to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during the Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
living from ~16—13.7 Mya, existing for approximately .
This animal was a predecessor of the modern bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
and is recognized as the first species of true bear to have existed. Ursavus elmensis appears to have been only the size of a very small dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
with dog-like features. It was a ground-dwelling
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
omnivore
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, or hypocarnivore
Hypocarnivore
A hypocarnivore is an animal that consumes less than 30% meat for its diet, the majority of which consists of nonvertebrate foods that may include fungi, fruits, and other plant material...
.