A new global discovery by the Vertebrate Paleontology Center at Mansoura University.

After publishing in the largest journal in the field of vertebrate paleontology…
A new global discovery by the Vertebrate Paleontology Center at Mansoura University.
Discovery of ferocious carnivores that inhabited the forests of Egypt about 30 million years ago, "Bastet" and "Sakhmet" prehistoric predators.
Prof. Sherif Youssef Khater: Unprecedented success and distinction recorded in letters of light in the university's record.

President of the University: The new achievement is the culmination of the university's efforts and contributes to strengthening its position as a leading university in the field of education and scientific research.

Vice President of the University for Graduate Studies and Research: The university is keen to support its members permanently in the field of scientific research, believing in the importance of strengthening Egypt's soft power.

Prof. Hesham Sallam: The new discovery highlights the crucial role that these climate changes played in shaping the ecosystems that still exist to this day.

Dr. Shorouk Al-Ashqar: Bastet weighs about 27 kilograms, and is close in size to a modern hyena or tiger. It is distinguished by its sharp teeth, strong head muscles, and what is connected to the jaw, which makes it a high-class predator.
Mansoura University announces a new global discovery for the Vertebrate Paleontology Center Discovery of fierce carnivores that inhabited the forests of Egypt about 30 million years ago, "Bastet" and "Sakhmet" prehistoric predators

Prof. Cherif Youssef Khater, President of Mansoura University, announced on February 17, 2025, that Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center team, led by Prof. Hesham Sallam, founder of the Paleontology Center, and a paleontologist at Mansoura University and the American University, was able to discover and name a new genus of predatory mammals that lived in Egypt 30 million years ago, and rename another genus discovered 120 years ago, after publishing the research in the "International Vertebrate Paleontology" journal by researcher Shorouk Al-Ashqar, the main author of the published research.

Prof. Cherif Khater expressed the university's pride in the center's successive new discoveries and achievements, the latest of which was the center's join in the Guinness Book of World Records for possessing the smallest fossil of ancient whales represented by the "Totsets" fossil, after its discovery in rocks dating back 41 million years in Egypt. He congratulated the family of Mansoura Center for Vertebrate Paleontology and all members of Mansoura University for registering this discovery globally in the name of the university, which is a great success and unprecedented distinction for scientific research at Mansoura University, that is full of many scientific and research achievements, which will raise the name of Mansoura University in all local, regional and international forums, to lead with all competence in the field of global competition in research, leadership and innovation, and to occupy the position it aspires to. The university president praised the efforts made by the university's graduate studies and research sector, noting that the achievement is the culmination of the ongoing efforts to develop the scientific research system and enhance the quality of research and publish it internationally, which enhances its position as a leading university in the field of education and scientific research at the local, regional and global levels. He added that work on this new discovery was carried out with broad support from the university administration, in cooperation with the Science, Technology and Innovation Funding Authority (STDF), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the American University in Cairo.

Prof. Tarek Ghalwash, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, expressed his pride in the center, in terms of the pace and abundance of its successive research on the one hand, and its scientific and international reputation on the other hand, pointing out the university's keenness to support its members permanently in the field of scientific research, believing in the importance of strengthening Egypt's soft power.

Prof. Hesham Sallam said that the beginning of the discovery dates back to the spring of 2020, during an exploratory trip by the "Salam Lab" team to the Fayoum Depression, during which the mission spent several days exploring among the layers of rocks dating back about 30 million years. During the search trip, "Bilal Salem", one of the team members, caught the attention of some protruding teeth, and the process of extracting the fossil began. The fossil showed a complete three-dimensional skull preserved in an exceptional condition, free of any deformities, which is considered a rare discovery and a dream for any paleontologist. Salam added that the work continued for 5 years to complete the discovery and naming of a new species of predatory mammals that lived in Egypt, and to rename another species discovered 120 years ago.

Within the framework of international cooperation led by Egypt, researchers succeeded in revealing the identity of the creature that owned that skull, as anatomical studies, statistical and morphological analyses showed that the skull belongs to a new species of extinct carnivores known as “hynodonts”, which evolved long before the appearance of cats, dogs, hyenas and the rest of the carnivores that live among us today. They were the predators that dominated the environments of the Afro-Arab continent after the extinction of the dinosaurs, until they too became extinct. Salam pointed out, "The mission proceeded under exceptional circumstances that prevailed all over the world, as we decided to spend the quarantine time in the desert, which is the most appropriate to stay away from any external pollutants on the one hand, and on the other hand, we are embarking on an adventure to explore the distant past, as the Fayoum Depression in Egypt provides a time period for a period of 15 million years of the evolutionary history of organisms, which is the period from 45-30 million years that linked ancient species with the ancestors of modern mammals.

Dr. Shorouk Al-Ashqar, a member of the Egyptian research team "Salam Lab", and the lead author of the study, said that the researchers named this new genus Bastetodon, in reference to the ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet, who was a symbol of protection, pleasure and good health, and was depicted with the head of a cat. The researchers explained that this predator is characterized by a lack of teeth like cats, hence the choice of Bastet, while the word "Odon" in ancient Greek means "tooth". Using careful statistical regression analyses, the scientists were able to estimate the weight of Basitodon at around 27 kilograms, which puts it in the middle-sized category among its hinodont peers, and close in size to a modern hyena or tiger. Basitodon is distinguished by its sharp, knife-like teeth, strong head muscles, and what connects to the jaw, which indicates a fierce bite force, making it a top-class predator in forests rich in all kinds of life, from apes and ancestors of hippopotamuses and ancestors of elephants and ancestors of hyraxes, which increases its hunting opportunities and their diversity.

The study also shed light on the taxonomic status of the genus "Pterodon". Between a prior belief that this genus had spread in Europe and Africa and skepticism about that, the research paper confirmed that Pterodon was native to Europe only, so the research team renamed another genus that had been previously discovered, and also lived in the Fayoum forests during the same time period, and they called it "Sekhmetops" instead of Pterodon, in honor of the goddess Sekhmet. The word "ops" in Greek means "face", and it is worth noting that in ancient Egyptian civilization, the goddess Bastet was associated with the goddess Sekhmet, who was depicted with a lion's head and symbolized anger and war.
Morphological and statistical analyses using the phylogenetic analysis method showed that Basitodon and Schemtops belong to the Hyaenodontidae within the Hyaenilorinae family, and the study confirms the Afro-Arab origin of this family, which was followed by multiple and successive migrations to Asia, Europe, India, and North America in several waves. "The discovery of Basitodon is an important achievement for our understanding of the diversity and evolution of hyaenodonts and their geographical distribution around the world," says Ashkar.

Ashkar looks forward to further research and exploration to understand the relationships between hyaenodonts that were widespread around the world and how they evolved over time and space.

Prof. Salam added: "The new discovery highlights the crucial role that these climate changes played in shaping ecosystems that still exist today. It is interesting to discover how past events have shaped our world—and to consider the lessons they may offer for understanding future climate change."

It is worth noting that Mansoura University Paleontology Center is the first specialized center for vertebrate fossils in the Middle East and North Africa, and includes many vertebrate fossils from geological eras dating back tens or even hundreds of millions of years, including fossils of turtles, dinosaurs, monkeys, whales, crocodiles, fish, rodents, and various vertebrates. The center is interested in studying the natural heritage of vertebrate fossils.