Crocuta dietrichi

Crocuta dietrichi is an extinct species of hyena closely related to the modern spotted hyena. It lived through the Plio-Pleistocene, and has been reported from as early as 4.4 million years ago^[1] to as recently as 1.7 million years ago.^[2] It has been found in southern, eastern, and possibly northern Africa.^[3] During the Pliocene Crocuta dietrichi coexisted with the larger Crocuta eturono in eastern Africa,^[4] where niche partitioning had likely occurred between the two species, with Crocuta dietrichi acting as an opportunistic predator and scavenger while Crocuta eturono was a more specialized predator of large prey.^[5] Crocuta dietrichi is the earliest known member of the genus Crocuta.^[2][3]

Crocuta dietrichi Temporal range: Pliocene to Pleistocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Hyaenidae
Genus:	Crocuta
Species:	†C. dietrichi
Binomial name
†Crocuta dietrichi Petter & Howell, 1989
Synonyms
Crocuta dbaa? (Geraads, 1997)

Characteristics

Crocuta dietrichi was slightly smaller than the spotted hyena^[5] but was otherwise morphologically very similar to the modern species.^[6] Crocuta dietrichi was smaller than most Crocuta.^[3] Relative to other members of its genus Crocuta dietrichi had a longer talonid on its first premolar, a shorter third premolar, and a wider fourth premolar.^[3]