Table 1. Maximum (Max) and minimum (Min) age calibrations (in millions of years ago, Mya) used for molecular dating analyses (with either uniform or log-normal prior distributions [U/L] on calibrated node ages interpreted from the fossil record).

Most recent common ancestor	Max	Distribution	Min	References for justification
Ferae	85	N, M = 75	65	www.timetree.org; split Canis / Manis (13 studies)
Caniformia
Canidae
(Canis, Cuon, Lycaon)	12	U/L, M = 1.5	6	[39]
(Vulpes, Nyctereutes)	34	U/L, M = 6.25	9	[39]
Ursidae	34	U/L, M = 5.75	11	[17,40,41]
(Arctotherium, Tremarctos)	10	U/L, M = 5.75	3	[42]
Ursus maritimus† from Svalbard (GU573488)	0.11	N, M = 0.12	0.13	[13]
Pinnipedia	34	U/L, M = 3.75	19	[20,42,43]
Otarioidea	23	U/L, M = 2.00	15	[20]
Phocidae	23	U/L, M = 2.75	12	[20,44]
Mustelidae
(Guloninae … Mustelinae)	27.6	U/L, M = 2.825	16.3	[21,45]
(Lutrinae, Ictonychinae)	27.6	U/L, M = 3.85	12.2	[18,45]
Feliformia
Feloidea	34	U/L, M = 3.5	20	[46]
Felidae	20	U/L, M = 1.5	14	[46]
(Acinonyx, Puma)	14	U/L, M = 2.65	3.4	[46,47]
(Leptailurus … Profelis)	14	U/L, M = 2.5	4	[47]
(Caracal, Profelis)	14	U/L, M = 2.5	4	[46]
(Panthera, Neofelis)	14	U/L, M = 2.0125	5.95	[19]
Viverroidea
Viverridae
(Genettinae, Viverrinae)	34	U/L, M = 5.00	14	[47]
(Herpestidae, Eupleridae)	34	U/L, M = 3.375	20.5	[47]
(Helogale, Crossarchus)	20.5	U/L, M = 3.625	6	[47]
(Galerella … Cynictis)	20.5	U/L, M = 3.275	7.4	[47]
Hyaenidae
(Hyaena, Parahyaena)	9.5	U/L, M = 1.475	3.6	[47]

Abbreviations: L = Log Normal; M = Mean age; N = Normal; U = Uniform.