Greater Chaltapicach

The word Borhyaena is from Greek: borys = heavy and hyaina = hyena. The species name macrodonta means “large-toothed” in Greek, referring to its massive canine and cheek teeth adapted for crushing bones and tearing flesh.

Chaltapicach is the Anglicization and Hispanization from Aymara: Ch’allt’ap'iqach, is a compound word "ch’allt’ata" (curshed), "p'iqi" (head), and "aycha" (meat), which means "crushed meat head".

Singular: Chaltapicach, Borhyaena
Plural: Chaltapicaches, Borhyaenas

Physical Appearance

Borhyaena is a medium-to-large-sized predator with a muscular body, powerful forelimbs, and strong jaws that resembles a dog or hyena but is unrelated to either. Their head is a road skull with strong jaw muscles, big canines, and Carnassial (shearing) teeth for meat slicing. Borhyaena have strong front legs for snatching prey, and their slightly shorter hind legs allow them to run and engage in brief chases. The muscular, thick tail may be employed for support or balance. Borhyaena's coat was unknown (soft tissue was not preserved), although it was probably coated in fur like that of hyenas.

Borhyaena macrodonta was part of the Sparassodonta, a group of South American marsupial-relative predators that evolved separately from placental carnivores (like cats and dogs). It represents a convergent evolution — developing similar adaptations to true carnivores despite a different lineage, both Borhyaena and modern hyenas aren't related. These predators disappeared after the arrival of placental carnivores (from North America) about 3 million years ago during the Great American Interchange.

Abilities

Unlike hyenas, Borhyaena had a big head with powerful jaws filled with enormous teeth used to crush bone, shells, and even wooden materials. Borhyaena is thought to have a powerful bite force that is comparable to a jaguar's in terms of size. Both a predator and a scavenger, Borhyaena was capable of crushing bones and tendons like a hyena. Instead of extended pursuits, this species was designed for quick chases and ambushes.

Borhyaena had a keen sense of smell and probably had well developed olfactory lobes, making it a great carrion and prey tracker. Borhyaena have very few natural tools and relied solely on their teeth and claws for feeding and hunting.

Ecology

One of the many species of metatherians are now threatened by North American placentals in Pliocene to Pleistocene epochs before humans arrived. Despite their name, Borhyaena is not real feliform, as results share hyenas to their ecological niche and ecological balance, via convergent evolution. In Miocene South American environments, Borhyaena was a top predator or mesopredator that coexisted with herbivorous mammals like notoungulates and litopterns as well as other sparassodonts, which are carnivores that related to marsupials.

Borhyaena were strict carnivores that consumed medium to large vertebrates, including rodents, small ungulates, and probably carcasses that had been scavenged. Other borhyaenids and big, flightless birds like phorusrhacids, also known as "terror birds," which are the closest relatives of seriama, are Borhyaena's greatest rivals.

Behavior

Like modern hyenas, Borhyaenas led a predatory and partially scavenging lifestyle. They may have lived alone or in small family groups. Like many contemporary predators, Borhyaena's activity pattern may have been crepuscular, meaning it was active at dawn and twilight. Borhyaenas hunted via ambush or short chase, which relied on strength rather than speed. They used strong teeth to rip meat and crush bones. Borhyaena was a territoriality that probably protected its lands from adversaries. There was conflicting evidence regarding Borhyaena's social behavior; some may have been solitary, while others may have been cooperative.

In the Earth Responsibly world, Borhyaena pose a threat to people since they are skilled predators that may strike if they sense danger, are protecting their territory, or are in need of food. Borhyaena are strong, quick, and have strong bites that can kill or seriously injure people, even though they usually stay away from humans.

Distribution and Habitat

Borhyaena was a predator, native to Patagonia, Argentina (Santa Cruz and Sarmiento Formations) and Chile (Río Frias Formation) in temperate, subtropical, and tropical rainforest.

The Miocene of Patagonia was a mosaic of savanna-like plains and forests, with large herbivores and predators filling ecological roles similar to those in Africa today — but all from unique South American lineages before the Great American Biotic Interchange (when North and South American species mixed).

Movement Pattern: Nomadic
Individual Type: Solo
Population Trend: Stable
Population: 0
Locomotion: Terrestrial
Habitat: Montane Grasslands and Shrublands; Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests, Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Mushroom Forests; Mushroom Fields; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Cold Bamboo Forests; Tropical Bamboo Forests; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Graveyard Vale; Mountain.
Earth:
- Extinct: Argentina; Chile; Uruguay