Proteles amplidentus

Proteles amplidentus is an extinct species of prehistoric hyena closely related to the living aardwolf. It lived during the Plio-Pleistocene in South Africa, where fossils have been found in the Swartkrans dated to as recently as 1.5 million years ago.^[1] Proteles amplidentus has additionally been found in the Kromdraai fossil site.^[2]

Proteles amplidentus Temporal range: Late Pliocene – Early Pleistocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Hyaenidae
Genus:	Proteles
Species:	†P. amplidentus
Binomial name
†Proteles amplidentus Werdelin & Solounias, 1991
Synonyms
Proteles transvaalensis Hendey, 1974

Characteristics

Proteles amplidentus was similar to the modern aardwolf in most respects but had less reduced cheek teeth.^[3] The former species was larger and had larger canine teeth. It had a smaller third premolar than the aardwolf and its second and third premolars were positioned more anteriorly.^[2]

Etymology and naming

Proteles amplidentus was initially named Proteles transvaalensis by Hendey (1974),^[4] but Proteles cristatus transvaalensis (Roberts, 1932)^[5] had already been used to describe a subspecies of aardwolf. Proteles amplidentus was proposed by Werdelin & Solounias (1991) in reference to the larger dentition of this species in comparison to the extant aardwolf.^[2]