Paleontologists in Spain have described a previously unknown species of amphicyonid — an extinct group of carnivores often called “bear-dogs” — based on fossils recovered decades ago at a renowned Miocene site near Barcelona.
The discovery highlights the rich prehistoric diversity of the Iberian Peninsula and adds fresh detail to our understanding of ancient predator communities.
The new species, named Paludocyon moyasolai, honors the prominent Catalan paleontologist Salvador Moyà-Solà. Researchers from the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP) led the study, which was published in the Journal of Mammalian Evolution.
An international collaboration involving institutions in Spain, Ecuador, and South Africa contributed to the analysis.
Excavators first uncovered the key specimen — a well-preserved skull with much of its dentition — during fieldwork in the 1990s at Els Casots, in the municipality of Subirats (Alt Penedès region).
At the time, the team tentatively assigned it to a known member of the Paludocyon genus, based on other fragmentary finds from the site and abroad. The fossil was then archived.
It wasn’t until 2014, during work on a doctoral thesis, that a researcher noticed discrepancies. The skull appeared smaller and less robust than the large, lion- or tiger-sized Paludocyon species it had been compared to, which could weigh up to around 200 kg.
Over the past couple of years, the ICP team conducted detailed comparisons and confirmed it represented an entirely new species. Els Casots is now recognized as the primary reference locality for Paludocyon moyasolai.
Estimates suggest this bear-dog was roughly the size of a large modern dog, weighing between 50 and 70 kilograms. Its teeth show distinctive features, including unusually broad second upper molars and a relatively large third molar, indicating a varied diet.
It likely functioned as a mesocarnivore — hunting small to medium-sized prey such as early deer, bovids, and ancestral pigs — rather than dominating as an apex predator.
The same site has also produced remains of a second, larger amphicyonid species (comparable in size to a leopard) that has yet to be formally named, underscoring the diversity of carnivores in the area.
Around 15.9 million years ago, during the Middle Miocene, the landscape at Els Casots was dramatically different from today’s Mediterranean climate. It featured a shallow lagoon bordered by lush tropical forests, home to crocodiles, snakes, fish, and a wide array of mammals.
This watery setting aided exceptional fossil preservation: carcasses were quickly buried in fine mud, shielding them from scavengers and decay.
