Creodonts

Creodonts are an extinct order of placental mammals that lived from the Paleocene to the Miocene epochs. They are often described as early carnivores, though their exact evolutionary relationship to modern carnivorans is complex and has been debated. Creodonts were a diverse group, with many species adapting to predatory lifestyles. They possessed specialized teeth, including large, shearing carnassials, which they used to tear flesh. However, the specific arrangement and function of these teeth varied among different creodont families, leading to different feeding strategies.

Some creodonts were large and formidable predators, comparable in size to modern big cats or bears. Others were smaller and more agile, potentially hunting smaller prey. Their fossil record indicates a wide geographic distribution, with remains found in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Despite their success for millions of years, creodonts eventually declined and went extinct, likely due to competition with the increasingly diverse and specialized carnivorans, which ultimately outcompeted them and occupied many of their ecological niches. The term "creodont" itself refers to their "flesh teeth."