Andrewsarchus

Andrewsarchus (), meaning "Andrews' ruler", is an extinct genus of artiodactyl that lived during the Middle Eocene in what is now China. The genus was first described by Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1924 with the type species A. mongoliensis based on a largely complete cranium. A second species, A. crassum, was described in 1977 based on teeth. A mandible, formerly described as Paratriisodon, probably belongs to the Andrewsarchus as well. The genus has been historically placed in the families Mesonychidae or Arctocyonidae, or was considered to be a close relative of whales. It is now regarded as the sole member of its own family, Andrewsarchidae, and may have been related to entelodonts. Fossils of Andrewsarchus have been recovered from the Middle Eocene Irdin Manha, Lushi and Dongjun Formations of Inner Mongolia, each dated to the Irdinmanhan Asian land mammal age (Lutetian–Bartonian stages, 48–38 million years ago). Andrewsarchus has historically been reputed as the largest terrestrial, carnivorous mammal given its skull length of 83.4 cm (32.8 in), though its overall body size was probably overestimated due to inaccurate comparisons with mesonychids, and it did not have the meat-slicing carnassial teeth of a hypercarnivore. Its incisors are arranged in a semicircle, similar to entelodonts, with the second rivalling the canine in size. The premolars are again similar to entelodonts in having a single cusp. The crowns of the molars are wrinkled, suggesting it was omnivorous or a scavenger. Unlike many modern scavengers, a reduced sagittal crest and flat mandibular fossa suggest that Andrewsarchus likely had a fairly weak bite force.