Protomarctus is an extinct monospecific genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. They lived during the Middle Miocene 16.0—13.6 Mya, existing for approximately 2.4 million years.^[1] It was an intermediate-size canid, and more predaceous than earlier borophagines.^[2]

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Binomial name ...

Protomarctus Temporal range: Early Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Canidae
Subfamily:	†Borophaginae
Tribe:	†Borophagini
Genus:	†Protomarctus Wang et al., 1999
Species:	†P. optatus
Binomial name
†Protomarctus optatus Matthew, 1924

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The first specimen was found in Thomson Quarry, Sheep Creek Formation, Nebraska in a Hemingfordian layer. Specimens have since been found in present-day Colorado, as far west as California and as far southwest as New Mexico.^[1] They were short-faced, heavy-jawed canines.^{[citation needed]}