Adinotherium

Adinotherium[1]
Temporal range: Early to Mid Miocene
A. ferum skull at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Notoungulata
Family: Toxodontidae
Subfamily: †Nesodontinae
Genus: Adinotherium
Ameghino, 1887
Type species
Adinotherium ovinum
Species
  • A. ferum
  • A. karaikense
  • A. nitidum
  • A. ovinum
  • A. robustum
  • A. splendidum
Synonyms

Adinotherium (meaning "not terrible beast")[2] is an extinct genus of Toxodontidae, large bodied hoofed ungulates which inhabited South America during the Miocene living from 17.5—11.61 Ma and existed for approximately 5.89 million years.[3]

Restoration of A. ovinum

The 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long animal,with a 120 kg weight, looked like a smaller version of its rhinoceros-like relative Toxodon.[4] Its front legs were somewhat longer than those of its relatives, making its hip and shoulder height about equal. A small horn atop Adinotherium's skull may have played a role in the mating season.[5]

Notes

  1. range and species from Croft et al. (2004), p. 8; synonyms from McKenna and Bell (1997), p. 459.
  2. Palmer (1904) p. 80.
  3. Paleobiology Database: Adinotherium, Basic info.
  4. http://prehistoric-fauna.com/publ/bestiarij/adinotherium_ferum/1-1-0-121[]
  5. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 253. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.

References


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