Cormohipparion

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Cormohipparion
Temporal range: Mid Miocene-Early Pliocene
(Hemphillian-Blancan)
~15.97–3.6  Ma
Cormohipparion occidentale (sturdy three-toed horse) (Ash Hollow Formation, Miocene, 11.83 Ma; Ashfall Fossil Beds, Nebraska, USA) 4.jpg
C. occidentale skeleton
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Equidae
Subfamily: Equinae
Tribe: Hipparionini
Genus: Cormohipparion
Skinner & MacFadden, 1977
Type species
Hipparion occidentale
Subgenera and species

Cormohipparion

  • C. (C.) frickiWoodburne, 2007
  • C. (C.) goorisiMacFadden & Skinner, 1981
  • C. (C.) johnsoniWoodburne, 2007
  • C. (C.) matthewiWoodburne, 2007
  • C. (C.) merriamiWoodburne, 2007
  • C. (C.) occidentale(Leidy, 1856) (type)
  • C. (C.) quinniWoodburne, 1996
  • C. (C.) skinneriWoodburne, 2007

Notiocradohipparion

  • C. (N.) plicatile(Leidy, 1887)
  • C. (N.) ingenuum(Leidy, 1885)
  • C. (N.) emslieiHulbert, 1988

Cormohipparion is an extinct genus of horse belonging to the tribe Hipparionini that lived in North America during the late Miocene to Pliocene (Hemphillian to Blancan in the NALMA classification). [1] They grew up to 3 feet (0.91 meters) long. [2] [3]

Contents

Taxonomy

Skull Cormohipparion occidentale.jpg
Skull

The genus Cormohipparion was coined for the extinct hipparionin horse "Equus" occidentale, described by Joseph Leidy in 1856. [4] However it was soon argued that the partial material fell within the range of morphological variation seen in Hipparion , and that the members of Cormohipparion belonged instead within Hipparion. [5] [6] This rested on claims that pre-orbital morphology did not have any taxonomic significance, a claim that detailed study of quarry sections later showed to be false. [7] The genus was originally identified by a closed off preorbital fossa, but later examinations of the cheek teeth, specifically the lower cheek teeth, of Cormohipparion specimens found that they were indeed valid and distinct from Hipparion. [8] A reappraisal of many horse genera was thus conducted in 1984, [9] and the proposed synonymy was not acknowledged by later literature. [10] C. ingenuum holds the distinction for being the first prehistoric horse to be described in Florida, as well as being one of the most common species of extinct species three-toed horses found to be in Florida. [11] Cormohipparionemsliei has the distinction of being the last hipparion horse known from the fossil record. [12]

The genus is considered to represent an ancestor to Hippotherium . [13] Its fossils have been recovered from as far south as Mexico. [14] Fossils have been found in the Great Plains and Rio Grande regions of North America, Mexico, Florida and Texas, which shows that they were herding animals. [15] [16] [17] [18]

Evolution

Skeletons of Cormohipparion and Teleoceras from the Ashfall Fossil Beds Ashfall Fossil Beds - Teleoceras and Cormohipparion.jpg
Skeletons of Cormohipparion and Teleoceras from the Ashfall Fossil Beds

A species of Cormohipparion closely related to C. occidentale is thought to have crossed the Bering land Bridge over into Eurasia around 11.4-11 million years ago, becoming the ancestor to Old World hipparionines. [19]

Related Research Articles

<i>Hipparion</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Hipparion is an extinct genus of three-toed, medium-sized equine belonging to the extinct tribe Hipparionini, who lived about 10-5 million years ago. While the genus formerly included most hipparionines, the genus is now more narrowly defined as hipparionines from Eurasia spanning the Late Miocene. Hipparion was a mixed-feeder who ate mostly grass, and lived in the savannah biome. Hipparion evolved from Cormohipparion, and went extinct due to environmental changes like cooling climates and decreasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

<i>Hippidion</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Hippidion is an extinct genus of equine that lived in South America from the Late Pliocene to the end of the Late Pleistocene (Lujanian), between 2.5 million and 11,000 years ago. They were one of two lineages of equines native to South America during the Pleistocene epoch, alongside Equus (Amerhippus) neogeus.

<i>Protohippus</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Protohippus is an extinct three-toed genus of horse. It was roughly the size of a modern donkey. Fossil evidence suggests that it lived during the Late Miocene, from about 13.6 Ma to 5.3 Ma.

<i>Neohipparion</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Neohipparion is an extinct genus of equid, from the Neogene of North America and Central America. This prehistoric species of equid grew up to lengths of 4.5 to 5 ft long.

<i>Pseudhipparion</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Pseudhipparion is an extinct genus of three-toed horse endemic to North America during the Miocene. They were herding animals whose diet consisted of C3 plants. Fossils found in Georgia and Florida indicate that it was a lightweight horse, weighing up to 90 pounds. In 2005, fossils were unearthed in Oklahoma. Seven species of Pseudhipparion are known from the fossil record which were very small, following the trend of Bergmann's rule.

<i>Nannippus</i> Extinct genus of mammals

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.

<i>Metaxytherium</i> Extinct genus of dugong

Metaxytherium is an extinct genus of dugong that lived from the Oligocene until the end of the Pliocene. Fossil remains have been found in Africa, Europe, North America and South America. Generally marine seagrass specialists, they inhabited the warm and shallow waters of the Paratethys, Mediterranean, Caribbean Sea and Pacific coastline. American species of Metaxytherium are considered to be ancestral to the North Pacific family Hydrodamalinae, which includes the giant Steller's sea cow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Blanco</span> Fossil bearing locality in Texas

Mount Blanco is a small white hill — an erosional remnant — located on the eastern border of the Llano Estacado within Blanco Canyon in Crosby County, Texas. With Blanco Canyon, it is the type locality of the early Pleistocene Blanco Formation of Texas and Kansas, as well as the Blancan fauna, which occurs throughout North America. Mount Blanco is a Late Blancan age site, and is associated with other Late Blancan sites from Texas such as Red Light and Hudspeth local faunas from Hudspeth County, and the Cita Canyon fauna from Randall County.

<i>Zygolophodon</i> Extinct genus of mammutid proboscidean

Zygolophodon is an extinct genus of mammutid proboscidean that lived during the Miocene in Africa, Eurasia, and North America.

<i>Eurygnathohippus</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Eurygnathohippus is an extinct genus of hipparionine horse. The majority of known fossils of members of this genus were discovered in Africa, where members of this genus lived during the late Miocene to Pleistocene interval. Fossils of Eurygnathohippus were also reported from the late Pliocene sediments of the Potwar Plateau in Pakistan and the Siwalik Hills in northwest India.

The Alachua Formation is a Miocene geologic formation in Florida. The claystones, sandstones and phosphorites of the formation preserve many fossils of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, among others megalodon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bone Valley Formation</span> Geologic formation in Florida, United States

The Bone Valley Formation is a geologic formation in Florida. It is sometimes classified as the upper member of the Peace River Formation of the Hawthorn Group. It contains economically important phosphorite deposits that are mined in west-central Florida, as well as rich assemblages of vertebrate fossils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ash Hollow Formation</span> Geologic formation in Nebraska

The Ash Hollow Formation of the Ogallala Group is a geological formation found in Nebraska and South Dakota. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene period. It was named after Ash Hollow, Nebraska and can be seen in Ash Hollow State Historical Park. Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park is within this formation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valentine Formation</span> Geological formation in midwestern US

The Valentine Formation is a geologic unit formation or member within the Ogallala unit in northcentral Nebraska near the South Dakota border. It preserves fossils dating to the Miocene epoch of the Neogene period and is particularly noted for Canid fossils. This unit consists of loosely-consolidated sandstone that crumbles easily. These sands carry the water of the Ogallala Aquifer and is the source of much of the water in the Niobrara River. A particular feature of the Valentine is lenticular beds of green-gray opaline sandstone that can be identified in other states, including South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Although three mammalian fauna stages can be mapped throughout the range of the Ogallala, no beddings of the Ogallala are mappable and all attempts of formally applying the Valentine name to any mappable lithology beyond the type location have been abandoned. Even so, opaline sandstone has been used to refer to this green-gray opalized conglomerate sandstone that is widely found in the lower Ogallala Formation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punchbowl Formation</span> Miocene sedimentary formation in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, California

The Punchbowl Formation is a sedimentary sandstone geologic formation in the northern San Gabriel Mountains, above the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County, southern California.

The Dove Spring Formation is a geologic formation in the western Mojave Desert of California. It preserves fossils dating back to the Miocene epoch of the Neogene period.

The Gracias Formation is a geologic formation in Honduras. The mainly sandstones, siltstones and claystones preserve vertebrate fossils dating back to the Neogene period.

The Cucaracha Formation (Tca) is a geologic formation in Panama. It preserves vertebrate and plant fossils dating back to the Neogene period; Early to Middle Miocene epochs (Hemingfordian). Fossils of the crocodylian Centenariosuchus, the turtle Rhinoclemmys panamaensis and the artiodactyl Paratoceras have been found in the formation.

<i>Sivalhippus</i> Extinct genus of mammals

Sivalhippus is an extinct genus of horse that lived in Africa and the Indian subcontinent during the late Miocene.

<i>Calippus</i> (mammal) Extinct family of mammals

Calippus is an extinct genus of hoofed mammals in the horse family (Equidae), known from the Middle Miocene through the Early Pliocene of North and Central America. Fossils have been found in the Central United States and the Eastern United States, ranging south to Honduras. These equines had high crowned teeth and a quadrangular, wide muzzle, and were small compared to their contemporary relatives, with C. elachistus weighing 49 kg, C. cerasinus weighing 102 kg, 132 kg for C. theristes and 73 kg for C. mccartyi.

References

  1. MacFadden, Bruce J.; Skinner, Morris F. (1982). "Hipparion Horses and Modern Phylogenetic Interpretation: Comments on Forsten's View of Cormohipparion". Journal of Paleontology. 56 (6): 1336–1342. ISSN   0022-3360. JSTOR   1304670.
  2. "Region 4: The Great Plains". geology.teacherfriendlyguide.org. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  3. Czaplewski, Nicholas J.; Thurmond, J. Peter; Wyckoff, Don G. (Fall 2001). "Wild Horse Creek #1: A Late Miocene (Clarendonian-Hemphillian) Vertebrate Fossil Assemblage in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma" (PDF). Oklahoma Geology. 61 (3): 60–67.
  4. Skinner, M. F.; MacFadden, B. J. (1977). "Cormohipparion n. gen. (Mammalia, Equidae) from the North American Miocene (Barstovian-Clarendonian)". Journal of Paleontology. 51 (5). Paleontological Society: 912–926. JSTOR   1303763.
  5. Forsten, A. (1982). "The Status of the Genus Cormohipparion Skinner and MacFadden (Mammalia, Equidae)". Journal of Paleontology. 56 (6). Paleontological Society: 1332–1335. JSTOR   1304669.
  6. MacFadden, Bruce J. (1985). "Patterns of Phylogeny and Rates of Evolution in Fossil Horses: Hipparions from the Miocene and Pliocene of North America". Paleobiology. 11 (3): 245–257. Bibcode:1985Pbio...11..245M. doi:10.1017/S009483730001157X. ISSN   0094-8373. JSTOR   2400665. S2CID   89569817.
  7. MacFadden, B. J.; Skinner, M. F. (1982). "Hipparion Horses and Modern Phylogenetic Interpretation_ Comments on Forsten's View of Cormohipparion". Journal of Paleontology. 56 (6). Paleontological Society: 1336–1342. JSTOR   1304670.
  8. Forsten, Ann (1982). "The Status of the Genus Cormohipparion Skinner and MacFadden (Mammalia, Equidae)". Journal of Paleontology. 56 (6): 1332–1335. ISSN   0022-3360. JSTOR   1304669.
  9. MacFadden, BJ (1984). "Systematics and phylogeny of Hipparion, Neohipparion, Nannippus, and Cormohipparion (Mammalia, Equidae) from the Miocene and Pliocene of the new world". American Museum of Natural History.
  10. Hulbert Jr, R. C. (1988). "A New Cormohipparion (Mammalia, Equidae) from the Pliocene (Latest Hemphillian and Blancan) of Florida". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 7 (4). The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology: 451–468. Bibcode:1988JVPal...7..451H. doi:10.1080/02724634.1988.10011675. JSTOR   4523166.
  11. "Cormohipparion ingenuum". Florida Museum. 2017-03-30. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  12. "Neohipparion". Florida Museum. 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  13. Woodburne, M. O. (2005). "A New Occurrence of Cormohipparion, with Implications for the Old World Hippotherium Datum". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 25: 256–257. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0256:ANOOCW]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   86241044.
  14. Bravo-Cuevas, V. M.; Ferrusquía-Villafranca, I. (2008). "Cormohipparion (Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Equidae) from the Middle Miocene of Oaxaca, Southeastern Mexico". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28: 243–250. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[243:CMPEFT]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   131613568.
  15. Skinner, Morris F.; MacFadden, Bruce J. (1977). "Cormohipparion n. gen. (Mammalia, Equidae) from the North American Miocene (Barstovian-Clarendonian)". Journal of Paleontology. 51 (5): 912–926. ISSN   0022-3360. JSTOR   1303763.
  16. Bravo-Cuevas, Victor Manuel; Ferrusquía-Villafranca, Ismael (2008). "Cormohipparion (Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Equidae) from the Middle Miocene of Oaxaca, Southeastern Mexico". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (1): 243–250. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[243:CMPEFT]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0272-4634. JSTOR   30126348. S2CID   131613568.
  17. Hulbert, Richard C. (1988). "A New Cormohipparion (Mammalia, Equidae) from the Pliocene (Latest Hemphillian and Blancan) of Florida". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 7 (4): 451–468. Bibcode:1988JVPal...7..451H. doi:10.1080/02724634.1988.10011675. ISSN   0272-4634. JSTOR   4523166.
  18. MacFadden, Bruce J.; Skinner, Morris F. (1981). "Earliest Holarctic Hipparion, Cormohipparion goorisi n. sp. (Mammalia, Equidae), from the Barstovian (Medial Miocene) Texas Gulf Coastal Plain". Journal of Paleontology. 55 (3): 619–627. ISSN   0022-3360. JSTOR   1304276.
  19. Bernor, Raymond L.; Kaya, Ferhat; Kaakinen, Anu; Saarinen, Juha; Fortelius, Mikael (October 2021). "Old world hipparion evolution, biogeography, climatology and ecology". Earth-Science Reviews. 221: 103784. Bibcode:2021ESRv..22103784B. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2021.103784.