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Description. Paleobiology. Diet. Hibernation. Paleoecology. Map of fossil localities. Relationships with other bears. Interactions with humans. Extinction. History of research. See also. References. Arctodus is an extinct genus of short-faced bear that inhabited North America during the Pleistocene (~2.5 Mya until 12,800 years ago).
Oct 21, 2023 · Habitat and Distribution. Arctodus lived during the Pleistocene Epoch and had a wide geographic range throughout North America. Based on available fossil evidence, the short-faced bear was arguably the most common bear species in Pleistocene North America. The two species occupied had distinct geographical distributions.
- Jerry Young
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What is the difference between Arctodus & pristinus?
Where is Arctodus pristinus found?
Is Arctodus pristinus a tremarctine bear?
What genus is Arctodus?
Jun 11, 2015 · Map of Florida, with highlights indicating counties where fossils of this species have been found. Overall Geographic Range.
May 7, 2024 · Distribution. Prehistoric Distribution. The tremarctine lineage of bears became extinct in Europe several million years ago. This lineage has one surviving species — the spectacled bear ,Tremarctos in South America's Andes mountains. Arctodus found in some 100 localities in North America. Arctodus simus fossils only from North America.
- Classification and Scientific Name
- Description and Size
- Diet
- Habitat
- Threats and Predators
- Discoveries and Fossils – Where It Was Found
- Extinction – When Did It Die out?
- Similar Animals to The Short-Faced Bear
The Short-Faced Bear is actually an entire genus, the Arctodus. This includes two distinct species, the Arctodus pristinus and the Arctodus simus. A. pristinus is considered the type species of the genus and spread throughout most of North America. It is also known as the Lesser Short-Faced Bear due to its smaller size. A. simuswas larger and also ...
The Short-Faced Bear was quite imposing and large, even the smaller species. They could be as tall as 6 feet when standing on all fours and up to 11 feet when standing fully upright on the back two legs. For comparison, the modern-day Grizzly bear can be up to 9 feet when standing on two legs, the Polar bear can be up to 8 feet, and the Kodiakstand...
Like many other bears, the Short-Faced Bear was likely an omnivore that favored meat. It had teeth that were sharp and large, perfect for eating meat. Some researchers believe that they ate only meat while others think that it was an omnivore like most other species of bears. Because they were so large, these bears would have needed to eat a lot to...
These bears are known as North American Short-Faced Bears but they actually lived through a large territory. They preferred forests for the environment and the availability of food. At the time, the western parts of North America were heavily forested. Their remains have been found everywhere from Mexico to New Jersey. A. pristinus specimens are mo...
Because they were so large and imposing, Short-Faced Bears didn’t face many predators. They could run for long distances and often quite fast. They weren’t as adept at turning quickly, however. This likely impacted the prey they could hunt, however, rather than making them prey for other animals. Short-Faced Bears faced the threat of a changing cli...
The first evidence of Short-Faced Bears was found in 1854 in South Carolina. Other notable discoveries, including the discovery of the large A. simus species, were made in California and even Mexico. Another discovery was made in 2008 by a farmer in Iowa who found a gigantic bone belonging to A. simus. Some of the most well-known fossils of the Sho...
A. pristinus is believed to have died out about 300,000 years ago, while A. simus lasted until the end of the Pleistocene era, or 11,000 years ago. While there was likely not one distinct event that caused their extinction, changing habitats and food sources contributed to their dwindling numbers and eventual extinction. The Quarternary Extinction ...
Some prehistoric and modern-day bears share similarities with the Short-Faced Bear. These include: 1. Arctotherium: These giant bears, known as “bear beasts,” lived in South America and parts of North America. They actually evolved independently of Arctodus by convergent evolution. 2. Spectacled Bear: This is the only remaining species in the subfa...
Also called the bulldog bear, the giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus) was undoubtedly the fastest running bear that ever lived. Rangier and longer legged than any bear today, it was about five feet at the shoulders when walking and stood as tall as 12 feet on its hind legs. Unlike pigeon-toed modern bears, its toes pointed straight forward ...
Download scientific diagram | Map showing locations of reported Arctodus simus localities with arrow pointing to the Florida sites. Some points represent multiple localities and/or specimens.
