A new species of apex predator named Bastetodon has been identified from a nearly complete skull discovered in the Egyptian desert, dating back 30 million years.

Bastetodon belongs to the hyaenodonts, a group of carnivorous mammals that existed before modern-day carnivores like cats and dogs.

The name 'Bastetodon' honors the Egyptian goddess Bastet, symbolizing protection and pleasure, and reflects the creature's cat-like features.

The skull was unearthed in the Fayum Depression, a significant paleontological site known for its rich fossil records and insights into mammalian evolution.

This discovery was made by a team from Mansoura University and the American University in Cairo, led by paleontologist Shorouq Al-Ashqar.

Most known Hyaenodonta fossils are just fragments, making this complete skull particularly valuable for research and understanding ancient carnivorous mammals.

The findings, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, enhance knowledge of hyaenodont diversity and their ecological roles in ancient ecosystems.

Research indicates that both Bastetodon and its relative Sekhmetops originated in Africa and spread to other continents, becoming some of the largest mammalian predators.

The fossil provides insights into significant global environmental changes that influenced the evolution of modern predators, such as cats and dogs.

Complete carnivore fossils are rare, making this discovery crucial for understanding the anatomy and ecological roles of these ancient predators.

Bastetodon and its relatives spread across the Northern Hemisphere, eventually facing extinction due to environmental changes that allowed other predators to dominate.

The skull's dentition indicates that Bastetodon was a hypercarnivore, with a diet consisting of more than 70 percent meat, placing it at the top of its local food web.