Ikelohyaena

Ikelohyaena (from Greek: ἴκελος íkelos, 'like' and Latin: hyaena, 'hyena') is an extinct genus of hyaenids that lived in Southern and Eastern Africa during the Pliocene. I. abronia, the type and only known species, has been found in Lothagam, Langebaanweg, and possibly Laetoli. I. abronia was dated to approximately 5.2 million years ago.

Ikelohyaena is regarded by some authors as a possible but highly skeptical common ancestor of the modern striped hyenas and brown hyenas or as an early species of the lineage that lead to the striped hyena. Ikelohyaena had durophagous adaptations in its dentition but was less well-adapted to durophagy than modern durophagous hyaenids such as the striped hyena. Dental microwear analysis indicates that I. abronia consumed bone less frequently than modern durophagous hyaenids.