Equidae is the taxonomic family of horses and related animals, including the extant horses, asses, and zebras, and many other species known only from fossils. The family evolved more than 50 million years ago, in the Eocene epoch, from a small, multi-toed ungulate into larger, single-toed animals. All extant species are in the genus Equus, which originated in North America. Equidae belongs to the order Perissodactyla, which includes the extant tapirs and rhinoceros, and several extinct families. It is more specifically grouped within the superfamily Equoidea, the only other family being the extinct Palaeotheriidae.
A pika is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America. With short limbs, a very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative, the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears. The large-eared pika of the Himalayas and nearby mountains lives at elevations of more than 6,000 m (20,000 ft).
Miohippus is an extinct genus of horse existing longer than most Equidae. It lived in what is now North America from 32 to 25 million years ago, during the late Eocene to late Oligocene. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, Othniel Charles Marsh first believed Miohippus lived during the Miocene and thus named the genus using this incorrect conclusion. More recent research provides evidence that Miohippus actually lived during the Paleogene period.
The kiang is the largest of the Asinus subgenus. It is native to the Tibetan Plateau in Ladakh India, northern Pakistan, Tajikistan, China and northern Nepal. It inhabits montane grasslands and shrublands. Other common names for this species include Tibetan wild ass, khyang and gorkhar.
Dinohippus is an extinct equid which was endemic to North America from the late Hemphillian stage of the Miocene through the Zanclean stage of the Pliocene and in existence for approximately 6.7 million years. Fossils are widespread throughout North America, being found at more than 30 sites from Florida to Alberta and Panama.
The evolution of the horse, a mammal of the family Equidae, occurred over a geologic time scale of 50 million years, transforming the small, dog-sized, forest-dwelling Eohippus into the modern horse. Paleozoologists have been able to piece together a more complete outline of the evolutionary lineage of the modern horse than of any other animal. Much of this evolution took place in North America, where horses originated but became extinct about 10,000 years ago, before being reintroduced in the 15th century.
Pliohippus is an extinct genus of Equidae, the horse family. Pliohippus arose in the middle Miocene, around 15 million years ago. The long and slim limbs of Pliohippus reveal a quick-footed steppe animal. While some specimens have one toe per leg, others have three.
Equus simplicidens, also known as the Hagerman horse is an extinct species of equine native to North America during the Pliocene and Early Pleistocene. It is one of the oldest and most primitive members of the genus Equus. It is the state fossil of Idaho, where abundant remains of the species were discovered near the town of Hagerman in 1928.
Neohipparion (Greek: "new" (neos), "pony" (hipparion)) is an extinct genus of equid, from the Neogene (Miocene to Pliocene) of North America and Central America. Fossils of this horse have been found in Texas, Florida, Kansas, South Dakota, Montana, Nevada, Alabama, Oregon, and Mexico. This prehistoric species of equid grew up to lengths of 4.5 to 5 ft (1.4 to 1.5 m) long. In Florida, Neohipparion lived in a wooded grassland savanna environment during the dry season but moved to a wet environment when it came time to mate. The average age of death for a newborn colt was 3.5 years, with a juvenile mortality rate of 64% during its first 2 years of existence. Its diet consisted of grasses, C3 and C4 plants. δ13C values from ‘’N. eurystyle’’ fossils found in Florida indicate that it fed almost exclusively on C4 grasses.
Nannippus is an extinct genus of three-toed horse endemic to North America during the Miocene through Pleistocene, about 13.3—1.8 million years ago (Mya), living around 11.5 million years. This ancient species of three-toed horse grew up to 3.5 feet and weighed between 165 pounds to 199 pounds, which was around the same size as a domestic sheep.
Cormohipparion is an extinct genus of horse belonging to the tribe Hipparionini that lived in North America during the late Miocene to Pliocene. They grew up to 3 feet long.
Eucyon ferox is a species of canid which was endemic to North America and lived during the late Hemphillian age. Originally described as a species of the extant genus Canis, this animal was thought to be an ancestor of the modern day coyote, but recent taxonomic revision has reassigned this species to the extinct genus Eucyon.
Equini is the only living tribe of the subfamily Equinae, which has lived worldwide since the Hemingfordian stage of the Middle Miocene. It is considered to be a monophyletic clade.
Thinobadistes is an extinct genus of ground sloth of the family Mylodontidae endemic to North America during the Miocene-Pliocene epochs (Hemphillian). It lived from 10.3 to 4.9 mya, existing for approximately 5.4 million years.
The Polk County paleontological sites are assemblages of Early Miocene to Late Pleistocene vertebrates occurring in Polk County, Florida, United States.
Hypolagus is an extinct genus of lagomorph, first recorded in the Hemingfordian of North America. It entered Asia during the early Turolian and spread to Europe not much later, where it survived until the Middle Pleistocene. Though unknown in the Iberian Peninsula, fossils of this genus have been found in the Balearic Islands, suggesting an eastern migration during the dry period in the Mediterranean region known as the Messinian Salinity Crisis.
Amphimachairodus is an extinct genus of large machairodonts. It is also a member of the tribe Homotherini within Machairodontinae and is most closely related to such species as Xenosmilus, Homotherium itself, and Nimravides. It inhabited Eurasia, Northern Africa and North America during the late Miocene epoch.
The Capistrano Formation is a geologic formation in coastal southern Orange County, California. It preserves fossils dating back to the late Miocene to early Pliocene, with the Oso Member representing a near-shore environment. Fifty-nine species and varieties of foraminifera are recognized from the Capistrano Formation alongside a diverse array of marine mammals including up to five species of walrus.
The Juchipila Formation is a geologic formation in Mexico. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene period. Closely corresponding to the other Hemphillian faunal assemblages of North America, it is significant for understanding the palaeofauna of Miocene and Pliocene central Mexico.
Capromeryx is an extinct genus of dwarf pronghorns (Antilocapridae) that originated in North America during the Pliocene about 5 million years ago. Antilocaprines began to decline in diversity during the Late Miocene, and the closest living relative and only surviving antilocaprine is the North American pronghorn.
