A phylogenetic analysis of all Recent procyonid genera and selected mustelid genera was performed based on 69 cranial, 28 dental, 12 postcranial, and 20 soft morphological characters. The most parsimonious phylogenetic tree (consistency index = 0.763) supported two monophyletic clades within the Procyonidae. Bassaricyon and Potos comprised the first branch, whereas Bassariscus, Procyon, Nasua, and Nasuella formed the second clade. Bassaricyon and Potos were united by 10 synapomorphies (shared-derived features), among these are: relatively uninflated auditory bullae, reduction of dental cusps, and features of the petrosal and ear ossicles. Among the 14 synapomorphies that unite Bassariscus, Procyon, Nasua, and Nasuella are palatine inflation of the orbital wall, presence of a hypocone on P4 and M1, and an entoconid on m2.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Decker et al. (1991) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched one closely related paper. Consider it for comparative context: