Their fossils in Paleocene to Early Eocene aged strata in France, Asia and southwest North America, from 66 to 50.3 mya, existed for approximately 15.7 million years.

Orientation patch analysis of the molar teeth of the North American D. praenuntius suggests it was an omnivore that ate a lot of meat, not an exclusive meat-eater like a cat or weasel.

D. europaeus survived the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, a period of severe global warming, which suggests it had flexible habits.

Its distribution in Europe over time suggests it may have been unable to expand into areas occupied by Pachyaena, which may mean it filled a similar ecological role.

[4] The fossil record of D. europaeus is fragmentary; remains in Cernay, France, include a mandible, a complete radius, and fragments of a humerus.