Simbakubwa Kutokaafrika
© Mauricio ANTON, Mauricio ANTON
The name Simbakubwa Kutokaafrika literally Large Lion from Africa in the Kiswahili language. The fossils were originally found between 1978 and 1980 at Meswa Bridge in Kisumu county. The fossils were sitting unstudied in a drawer at the National museum of Kenya for decades. Analysis that was concluded in April in 2019 determined that it belonged to a large predator. Larger than a polar bear. These particular fossils were dated to 22 million years ago.
Despite being dubbed “Big Lion”, this species does not belong to the cat family. Rather it belongs to an order called Hyaenodonta which are unrelated to Hyenas but are so called because their dental structure is similar to that of hyenas. Its estimated weight is 1500 kg. It likely preyed on ancient proboscideans.
Isohyaenodon
Isohyaenodon is an extinct Genus that existed in the Miocene era. It belongs to the family Hyainailouridae. It is similar to Hyaenadon but with more robust molars.
Two species are known: Isohyaenodon Andrewsi and Isohyaenodon Zadoki (previously known as Isohyaenodon Mathewi) . The remains of the former species were found in the Omo Maboko area in Kisumu county in Western Kenya. The remains of Zadoki were found in Rusinga Island in Lake Victoria.
Exiguodon
Exiguodon is an extinct genus that belongs to the family Hyainailouridae and order Hyaenodonta. Its fossil remains have been dated to the miocene period. The only known species is Exiguodon Pilgrimi. It is diminutive when compared to other Hyaenodonts. It was previously known as Isohyaenodon Pilgrimi. Its fossil remains have been found on Rusinga island in Lake Victoria.
Leakitherium
Leakitherium is an extinct Genus that existed in the Miocene era. The only known species of this genus is Leakitherium Hiwegi. It belongs to the family Hyainailouridae. Its fossil remains were found in Rusinga Island.
Pterodon
Pterodon is an extinct genus belonging to the family Hyaenodontidae and order Credonta. The species that was found in Kenya is Pterodon nyanzae. Its fossil remains have been found in Ombo in Kisumu county.
Metapterodon
Metapterodon is an extinct genus of the family Hyainailouridae and order Hyaenodonta. The two species that were found in Kenya are Metapterodon Kaiseri which was found in Karungu in Migori county and and Metapterodon Zadoki which was found on Rusinga Island
Teratodon
Teratodon is an extinct genus. It belongs to the family Teratodontidae and order Carnivora. The species whose remains were found in Kenya is Teratodon spekei. Its fossil remains were found in Koru, Kisumu county.
Dissopsalis
Dissopsalis is an extinct species of the family Hyaenodontidae and order Credodonta. The species that was found in Kenya is Dissopsalis pyroclasticus which existed in the middle miocene. Its fossil remains were found on Rusinga island.
Anasinopa
Anasinopa is a genus of the clade Teratodontinae, Family Hyaenodontidae, and order Creodonta.
The fossil remains that were found in Kenya belong to the sp ecies Anasinopa Leakeyi. The remains have been found in Rusinga Island, Mfangano Island and Karungu in Migori County
Megistotherium
Megistotherium is a genus of predator that existed during the early miocene (23 million years ago). It belongs to the family Hyainailouridae, clade Hyaenodonta and Order Credodonta.
Megistotherium osteothlastes is the only known species. It was a large creature, measuring 135 cm at the shoulder and with a skull 66 cm long. Its fossil remains were found in the Ngorora and Muruyur formations of the Tugen Hills in Baringo county.
Mioprionodon hodopeus
Mioprionodon hodopeus existed in the late Oligocene. It was a true a true carnivoran and potentially one of the very first immigrants from Eurasia during the African Mid-Tertiary Event. Its fossil remains were found in the Nakwai region in the Turkana basin.
Mlanyama Sugu
Mlanyama Sugu a species of predator that existed during the late Oligocene. It belongs to the family Hyainailouridae, clade Hyaenodonta and Order Credodonta. It was classified as such by D. T. Rasmussen and M. Gutierrez. 2009. Its fossils have been found near Lake Turkana
Natodomeri Lion
The Natodomeri Lion is a sub species of Lions (Panthera Leo) that existed during the Pleistocene (195,000 to 205,000 years ago). It is known from a partial skull found in the Natodomeri region in Northwestern Kenya near the border with Ethiopia. The skull is significantly larger than other known African Lion populations and is comparable to the Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea)
Back to Kenya History Page |
View Comments (10)
Do you Know anything about this new officially unnamed theropod called Titanovenator Kenyaensis discovered in the Turonian deposit's of Kenya's Turkana Grit's Formation and if please you could give me back info on this new animal and how would compare two the current big four theropod's of today (TYRANNOSAURUS REX, GIGANOTOSAURUS CAROLINNI, CARCHARODONTOSAURUS SAHARICUS & SPINOSAURUS AEGYPTIACUS, thank's bye)
Thank you for informing me about this dinosaur. This blog focuses on prehistoric mammals so we dont have a lot of info on dinosaurs
How would the Natodomeri Lion compare to the three largest species of pre-historic Pantherine cat's known round the World today from the top of my knowledge on Big cat's (American Lion, Mosbach Lion & Ngangdong Tiger) and have any there been more recent discoveries on larger specimen's of Kenyan ice age lion's been waiting to be published that you can give me sneak info on I mean Simbakubwa Kutokaafrikaa was discovered in 1978 but announced just only recently well I hope to get a good reply this time round thank's.
Going by the size of the skull, the Natodomeri lion is much larger than Atrox and Fosilis. Unfortunately, besides the one skull found, no other specimens of the Natodomeri Lion have ever been found
What Hyeanodont's where comparable in size to Simbakubwa Kutoaafrika in my birth place the United states of America & United Kingdom/Europe where I have lived for the last 33 year's so you can see my curiousity with both sides of the Atlantic also tell me how you work out the American Lion & Mosbach Lion where smaller then Natodomeri Lion from what i've read it's the other way around? Thank's hope you reply.
you can simply look at the skull measurements, it's only comparable in size to the two biggest American lion specimens. Also I doubt this is a lion to begin with.
What Hyeanodont's where comparable in size to Simbakubwa Kutoaafrika in my birth place the United states of America & United Kingdom/Europe where I have lived for the last 33 year's so you can see my curiousity with both sides of the Atlantic also tell me how you work out the American Lion & Mosbach Lion where smaller then Natodomeri Lion from what i've read it's the other way around? Thank's hope you reply.
Can you please give a size comparison between the largest Mosbach Lion, American Lion, Natodomeri Lion, Ngangdong Tiger & Smilodon Populator in term's of size of skull, width of tibia & femur, etc.
Sorry I meant the legnth of the tibia width was obviously for the femur if your confused my mistake?
Who do you think tops it out of the two largest Proboscideans the World saw Paleoloxodon Namadicus of Ice age India versus Elephas Recki of Ice age Kenya? Stats please? and how would compare to Indricotherium of cenosoic Pakistan?.