Cainotherium Temporal range: | |
---|---|
Restoration | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | † Cainotheriidae |
Genus: | † Cainotherium Bravard, 1828 |
Type species | |
†Microtherium renggeri [1] von Meyer 1837 | |
Species | |
| |
Synonyms | |
|
Cainotherium is an extinct genus of rabbit-sized prehistoric even-toed ungulates. These herbivores lived in Europe from the Eocene [2] until the early Miocene. [3] The skeletal anatomy of these hare-like animals suggest they, along with other members of Cainotheriidae, belong to the artiodactyl suborder Tylopoda, together with oreodonts and modern camelids. Species had cloven hooves, similar to those of bovids or deer, although the shape and length of the limbs suggests that the living animals moved by leaping, like a rabbit. The shape of the teeth also suggests a rabbit-like diet of nibbled vegetation, while the size of the auditory bulla and shape of the brain suggest that it would have had good senses of hearing and smell. [4] [5]
Antidorcas is a genus of antelope that includes the living springbok and several fossil species.
Carnassials are paired upper and lower teeth modified in such a way as to allow enlarged and often self-sharpening edges to pass by each other in a shearing manner. This adaptation is found in carnivorans, where the carnassials are the modified fourth upper premolar and the first lower molar, however this may vary in family. These teeth are also referred to as sectorial teeth.
Boreaspis is an extinct genus of osteostracan agnathan vertebrate that lived in the Devonian period.
The Antilocapridae are a family of artiodactyls endemic to North America. Their closest extant relatives are the giraffids. Only one species, the pronghorn, is living today; all other members of the family are extinct. The living pronghorn is a small ruminant mammal resembling an antelope.
Eobasileus cornutus was a prehistoric species of dinocerate mammal.
Diacodexis is an extinct genus of small herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Diacodexeidae that lived in North America, Europe and Pakistan from 55.4 mya to 46.2 mya and existing for approximately 9.2 million years.
Syndyoceras is a small extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to central North America from the Miocene epoch, existing for approximately 4.2 million years.
Sivatherium is an extinct genus of giraffids that ranged throughout Africa to the Indian subcontinent. The species Sivatherium giganteum is, by weight, one of the largest giraffids known, and also one of the largest ruminants of all time.
Taurotragus is a genus of large antelopes of the African savanna, commonly known as elands. It contains two species: the common eland T. oryx and the giant eland T. derbianus.
Dichobunidae is an extinct family of basal artiodactyl mammals from the early Eocene to late Oligocene of North America, Europe, and Asia. The Dichobunidae include some of the earliest known artiodactyls, such as Diacodexis.
Protoceratidae is an extinct family of herbivorous North American artiodactyls that lived during the Eocene through Pliocene. While early members of the group were hornless, in later members males developed elaborate cranial oramentation. They are variously allied with Ruminantia or Tylopoda.
Canthumeryx is an extinct genus of primitive giraffid artiodactyls. It is the close ancestor of giraffes.
Hyraxes, also called dassies, are small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. Hyraxes are well-furred, rotund animals with short tails. Typically, they measure between 30 and 70 cm long and weigh between 2 and 5 kg. They are superficially similar to pikas and marmots, but are more closely related to elephants and sea cows.
Paraxiphodon is an extinct genus of artiodactyl from the Late Eocene of France. There are two included species, P. teulonensis and P. cournovensis. The genus demonstrated the continued existence of xiphodonts into at least the Lower Oligocene.
Listriodon is an extinct genus of pig-like animals that lived in Eurasia during the Miocene.
Bunolistriodon is an extinct genus of pig-like animals from Eurasia and Africa during the Miocene.
Homacodontidae is an extinct family of basal artiodactyl mammals from the early Eocene to late Oligocene of North America, Europe, and Asia.
Helohyidae were a group of artiodactyl mammals. They were most prominent in the mid-to-upper Eocene.
Paracosoryx is an extinct genus of antilocaprids that lived in North America during the Miocene.
Saotherium is an extinct genus of hippopotamid from the Early Pliocene of Africa, specifically Chad. It is represented by a single species, S. mingoz. The earliest fossils appear at the start of the Pliocene, while the latest are dated to about 4 mya.