View source for Mececyon

{{Short description|Extinct species of carnivore}}
{{speciesbox
|fossil_range = [[Pleistocene]]
|genus = Mececyon
|species = trinilensis
|authority = Stremme, 1911
}}
'''''Mececyon trinilensis''''', the '''Trinil dog''', is an extinct [[Canidae|canid]] species that lived on the island of Java in [[Indonesia]] during the [[Pleistocene]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science|last=Elias|first=Scott A.|publisher=Elsevier|year=2013|isbn=9780444536433|location=Amsterdam|pages=1000}}</ref>
== Description ==
The body size of ''Mececyon trinilensis'' been estimated at around {{Convert|6.8-17.1|kg|lb}},<ref name=":2" /> comparable to a [[dhole]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Volmer |first1=Rebekka |last2=van der Geer |first2=Alexandra A.E. |last3=Cabrera |first3=Patricia Andrea |last4=Wibowo |first4=Unggul Prasetyo |last5=Kurniawan |first5=Iwan |date=September 2019 |title=When did Cuon reach Java? – Reinvestigation of canid fossils from Homo erectus faunas |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0016699518301773 |journal=Geobios |language=en |volume=55 |pages=89–102 |doi=10.1016/j.geobios.2019.06.004|s2cid=198403467 |doi-access=free }}</ref> This small size is the result of [[insular dwarfism]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=van der Geer |first1=Alexandra A.E. |last2=Lyras |first2=George A. |last3=Volmer |first3=Rebekka |date=October 2018 |title=Insular dwarfism in canids on Java (Indonesia) and its implication for the environment of Homo erectus during the Early and earliest Middle Pleistocene |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0031018218302141 |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |language=en |volume=507 |pages=168–179 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2018.07.009|s2cid=134585999 }}</ref>
== Habitat and ecology ==
''Mececyon trinilensis'' is endemic to the island of [[Java]]. It was part of the Pleistocene [[Trinil Fauna]] of Java, which dates to the late [[Early Pleistocene|Early]]-[[Middle Pleistocene]].<ref name=":2" /> Other animals of this [[Faunal assemblage]] were ''[[Bos palaesondaicus]]'', the [[Indian muntjac|Indian muntjak]] (''Muntiacus muntjak''), ''[[Bubalus palaeokerabau|Bubalus paleaeokerabau]]'', the [[Dubois santeng]] and ''[[Stegodon]] trigonocephalus''. Other predators of the Trinil Fauna were the [[Trinil tiger]] (''Panthera tigris trinilensis'') and the [[leopard cat]] (''Prionailurus bengalensis'').<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lyras|first=George A.|date=2007|title=Characteristics of Pleistocene megafauna extinctions in Southeast Asia|url=http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/132/1328059508.pdf|journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology|volume= 243|issue=1–2 |pages=152–173|doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2006.07.011 }}</ref><ref>Christine Hertler/ Yan Rizal (2005): Excursion guide to the Pleistocene Hominid Sites in Central and East Java, Johann Wolfgang Geothe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany/ ITB, Bandung, Indonesia</ref>
''Mececyon'' is suggested to have been a [[hypercarnivore]].<ref name=":2" /> It has been estimated that ''Mececyon trinilensis'' hunted prey of 1&nbsp;kg to 10&nbsp;kg, preferably 5&nbsp;kg in size. However this number could vary, because it is yet unknown if the ''Mececyon trinilensis'' hunted in packs, or if carrion left over by the Trinil tiger influenced its feeding habits.<ref name=":0">{{cite thesis |url=http://hopsea.mnhn.fr/pc/thesis/Diploma_Volmer_2005.pdf |author=Rebekka Volmer |date=2005 |title=Ökomorphologische Rekonstruktion pleistozäner Hyaeniden (Jawa, Indonesien) |type=Diplomarbeit im Fachbereich Biowissenschaft |publisher=Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität |place=Frankfurt am Main |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215023715/http://hopsea.mnhn.fr/pc/thesis/Diploma_Volmer_2005.pdf |archive-date=15 February 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Likely prey included rats and birds.<ref name=":2" />
== Evolution ==
''Mececyon trinilensis'' probably ultimately originated from the mainland ''[[Xenocyon]]'', perhaps ''[[Xenocyon|Xenocyon lycanoides]]'', likely via the intermediate species ''[[Megacyon merriami]],'' which is proportionally larger than mainland ''Xenocyon'' species'','' and known from older Early Pleistocene fossils on Java.<ref name=":2" /> The similarly dwarfed [[Sardinian dhole]] (''Cynotherium sardous'') is also suggested to have evolved from ''Xenocyon''. Its closest living relatives are the [[African wild dog]] (''Lycaon pictus)'' and the [[dhole]] (''Cuon alpinus'').<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Body size of insular carnivores: Evidence from the fossil record (PDF Download Available) |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227667091 |access-date=2017-05-04 |website=ResearchGate |language=en}}</ref> Some authors have suggested sinking ''Mececyon'' and ''Megacyon'' into ''Xenocyon''.<ref name=":2" />
During the early Middle Pleistocene, the extinct dhole species ''Cuon priscus'' arrived on Java. It has been suggested that ''C. priscus'' outcompeted ''M/X. trinilensis,'' resulting in its absence in younger deposits.<ref name=":3" />
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3853467}}
[[Category:Prehistoric canines]]
[[Category:Pleistocene mammals of Asia]]
[[Category:Extinct animals of Indonesia]]