Miacis

Miacis is a genus of extinct, carnivorous mammals that lived during the Eocene epoch, approximately 56 to 34 million years ago. These small, agile animals are considered early relatives of modern carnivorans, belonging to the extinct order Miacoidea. Miacis species are known from fossils found in North America and Europe.

The anatomy of Miacis suggests it was adapted for a semi-arboreal lifestyle. It possessed relatively long bodies, short limbs, and a long tail, likely used for balance when climbing trees. Its skull indicates a diet of small prey, such as insects, lizards, and small mammals, with teeth adapted for shearing meat. While Miacis was once considered a direct ancestor of many modern carnivoran families, current understanding places it as a more basal member of the Miacoidea, a group that eventually gave rise to both the Caniformia (dog-like carnivorans) and Feliformia (cat-like carnivorans) suborders. The diversity within the Miacoidea, including Miacis itself, highlights the early evolutionary radiation of carnivoran mammals following the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs.