30-Million-Year-Old Skull of Apex Predator Unearthed in Egypt

The discovery of Bastetodon syrtos sheds light on ancient ecosystems and the evolution of carnivorous mammals in Africa.

A nearly complete skull of Bastetodon syrtos, a leopard-sized apex predator, was discovered in Egypt's Fayum Depression, dating back to the early Oligocene Epoch 30 million years ago.
The fossil belongs to the extinct hyaenodonts, a group of carnivorous mammals that predated modern cats, dogs, and hyenas, and dominated ancient food chains.
Researchers named the species after the cat-headed Egyptian goddess Bastet, reflecting its short snout and sharp teeth, which were adapted for a powerful bite.
The find provides new insights into the evolutionary history of African carnivores and the environmental changes that led to their eventual extinction.
Comparisons with older fossils led to the reevaluation of another hyaenodont genus, Sekhmetops, linking both species to a lineage that originated in Africa.