PLACENTAL CARNIVORES, PAST AND PRESENT

In the Crataceous period of the Mesozoic era mammals began to expand
and 120 million years ago Marsupials and Placentals diverged in the
mammal lineage. In the Paleocene epoch of the Cenozoic era 65 million
years ago mammals began to rapidly expand. Two major groups diverged in
this epoch the now extinct Creodonts which dominated 55 million years
ago and the true carnivores (order Carnivora) which still flourishes
today.(www.bobpickett.org/TIMELINE.htm)

I'll be looking at the common ancestor, some suspicion does exist on
whether the two orders does in fact share a common
ancestor.(www.enwikipedia.com) Major groups, characteristics and
habitat of the two orders. Similarities and differences in dentition,
body plan, brain size, diet , locomotion amongst others,and try to
ascertain whether these factors played a role in the extinction of one
order and the radiation of the other. I'll also be looking at newly
discovered carnivore species.

Ilse Kotzee
Student # 2456349
2456349@uwc.ac.za