Ultimately, I would revisit the facial tissue a few years later, adding more extensive narial carilage and prominent nasolabial muscles (and corresponding mystacial pad). This is important to note, as many mammal reconstructions undersell just how much tissue is present, aiding the animals in life

Once the dental, skeletal base and it's muscular landmarks were created, the rest of the animal could come to life. The pattern chosen after much trial and error, would reflect the predatory nature of this species, living along the forest floor and understory.

Reconstructing a hypothetical adult took a lot of digging through literature surrounding the anatomy and build of related Proviverrine and Sinopine Hyaenodonts. This would inform the proportions, build of the muscles and key anatomical traits displayed in these families.

Lesmesodon edingeri, a cat sized Hyaenodont from the #Messel Pit. We only have 4 fossils from this species, all still suckling age. Would be an early horse’s nightmare as an adult though (dissection in thread) #sciart (done in 2021)