What is Nimravidae?
{{Automatic taxobox |fossil_range = [[Middle Eocene]] to [[Late Miocene]], {{Fossil range|40|7.246}} |image = Hoplophoneus.jpg |image_caption = ''Hoplophoneus mentalis'' |taxon = Nimravidae |authority = [[Edward Drinker Cope|Cope]], 1880 |subdivision_ranks = Genera |subdivision = * †''[[Dinailurictis]]'' * †''[[Dinictis]]'' * †''[[Eofelis]]'' * †''[[Maofelis]]'' * †''[[Pogonodon]]'' * †''[[Quercylurus]]'' * Tribe †'''Nimravini''' ** †''[[Dinaelurus]]'' ** †''[[Nimravus]]'' * Tribe †'''Hoplophoneini''' ** †''[[Eusmilus]]'' ** †''[[Hoplophoneus]]'' ** †''[[Nanosmilus]]'' }} [[File:Nimravidae cladogram.png|right|thumb|250px|Nimravidae cladogram]] [[Image:Holophoneusskull1.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The skull of ''Hoplophoneus mentalis'', showing the sabre-like teeth]] The '''Nimravidae''' is an [[extinct]] [[Family (biology)|family]] in the [[Carnivora]]. It is a type of [[cat]]-like [[mammal]] in the [[suborder]] [[Feliformia]]. They lived in [[North America]], [[Europe]], and [[Asia]] from the [[Eocene]] through the [[Miocene]] epochs, 42–20 million years ago (mya). They lasted for about 22 million years.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=41036&is_real_user=1 |title=PaleoBiology Database: ''Nimravidae'', basic info |access-date=2012-07-09 |archive-date=2008-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430003236/http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although some nimravids physically resembled the [[saber-toothed cat|sabre-toothed cat]]s of genus ''[[Smilodon]]'', they were not closely related, but [[evolved]] a similar form through [[parallel evolution]]. The ancestors of nimravids and [[Felidae|felids]] diverged from their common ancestor about 50 mya. Most had muscular, low-slung, catlike bodies, but with shorter legs and tails. == Teeth == Some nimravids did evolve into large toothed cat-like forms with massive flattened upper [[Canine teeth|canines]] and mandibular flanges.<ref>The function of these flang