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Tapiroidea
Tapiroidea is a superfamily of perissodactyls which includes the modern tapir. Members of the superfamily are small to large browsing mammals, roughly pig-like in shape, with short, prehensile snouts. Their closest relatives are the other odd-toed ungulates, including horses and rhinoceroses. Taxonomically, they are placed in suborder Ceratomorpha along with the rhino superfamily, Rhinocerotoidea. The first members of Tapiroidea appeared during the Early Eocene, 55 million years ago. Evolution and natural history The first tapirids, such as ''Heptodon'', appeared in the early Eocene. They appeared very similar to modern forms, but were about half the size, and lack the proboscis. The first true tapirs, appeared in the Oligocene, and by the Miocene, such genera as ''Miotapirus'' were almost indistinguishable to the extant species. It is believed that Asian and American tapirs diverged around 20 to 30 million years ago, and that tapirs migrated from North America and Central Ameri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Odd-toed Ungulate
Odd-toed ungulates, mammals which constitute the taxonomic order Perissodactyla (, ), are animals—ungulates—who have reduced the weight-bearing toes to three (rhinoceroses and tapirs, with tapirs still using four toes on the front legs) or one (equines, third toe) of the five original toes. The non-weight-bearing toes are either present, absent, vestigial, or positioned posteriorly. By contrast, the even-toed ungulates bear most of their weight equally on four or two (an even number) of the five toes: their third and fourth toes. Another difference between the two is that odd-toed ungulates digest plant cellulose in their intestines rather than in one or more stomach chambers as even-toed ungulates, with the exception of Suina, do. The order includes about 17 species divided into three families: Equidae (horses, asses, and zebras), Rhinocerotidae (rhinoceroses), and Tapiridae (tapirs). Despite their very different appearances, they were recognized as related families in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ceratomorpha
Odd-toed ungulates, mammals which constitute the taxonomic order Perissodactyla (, ), are animals—ungulates—who have reduced the weight-bearing toes to three (rhinoceroses and tapirs, with tapirs still using four toes on the front legs) or one (equines, third toe) of the five original toes. The non-weight-bearing toes are either present, absent, vestigial, or positioned posteriorly. By contrast, the even-toed ungulates bear most of their weight equally on four or two (an even number) of the five toes: their third and fourth toes. Another difference between the two is that odd-toed ungulates digest plant cellulose in their intestines rather than in one or more stomach chambers as even-toed ungulates, with the exception of Suina, do. The order includes about 17 species divided into three families: Equidae (horses, asses, and zebras), Rhinocerotidae (rhinoceroses), and Tapiridae (tapirs). Despite their very different appearances, they were recognized as related families i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Homogalax Tapirinus
''Homogalax'' (from the Greek "ομογάιαξ") is an extinct genus of tapir-like odd-toed ungulate. It was described on the basis of several fossil finds from the northwest of the USA, whereby the majority of the remains come from the state of Wyoming. The finds date to the Lower Eocene between 56 and 48 million years ago. In general, ''Homogalax'' was very small, only reaching the weight of today's peccaries, with a maximum of 15 kg. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the genus to be a basal member of the clade that includes today's rhinoceros and tapirs (collectively called Ceratomorpha). In contrast to these, ''Homogalax'' was adapted to fast locomotion.Holbrook, LT; Lucas, SG; and Emry, RJ; "Skulls of the Eocene Perissodactyls (Mammalia) ''Homogalax'' and ''Isectolophus''." ''Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24''. (4) 951-956. Description ''Homogalax'' was a small representative of the basal odd-toed ungulates. In general, it resembled other, basal forms of the order Per ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tapir
Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South and Central America, with one species inhabiting Southeast Asia. They are one of three extant branches of Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates), alongside equines and rhinoceros. Only a single genus, ''Tapirus'' is currently extant. Tapirs migrated into South America during the Pleistocene epoch from North America after the formation of the Isthmus of Panama as part of the Great American Interchange. Tapirs were once widespread in North America until the arrival of humans at the end of the Late Pleistocene, around 12,000 years ago. Species There are four widely recognized extant species of tapir, all in the genus ''Tapirus'' of the family Tapiridae. They are the South American tapir, the Malayan tapir, Baird's tapir, and the mountain tapir. In 2013, a group of researchers said they ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tapiridae
Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South and Central America, with one species inhabiting Southeast Asia. They are one of three extant branches of Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates), alongside equines and rhinoceros. Only a single genus, ''Tapirus'' is currently extant. Tapirs migrated into South America during the Pleistocene epoch from North America after the formation of the Isthmus of Panama as part of the Great American Interchange. Tapirs were once widespread in North America until the arrival of humans at the end of the Late Pleistocene, around 12,000 years ago. Species There are four widely recognized extant species of tapir, all in the genus ''Tapirus'' of the family Tapiridae. They are the South American tapir, the Malayan tapir, Baird's tapir, and the mountain tapir. In 2013, a group of researchers said they ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', "dawn") and (''kainós'', "new") and refers to the "dawn" of modern ('new') fauna that appeared during the epoch. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Paleocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the Eocene is marked by a brief period in which the concentration of the carbon isotope Carbon-13, 13C in the atmosphere was exceptionally low in comparison with the more common isotope Carbon-12, 12C. The end is set at a major extinction event called the ''Grande Coupure'' (the "Great Break" in continuity) or the Eocene–Oligocene extinction event, which may be related to the impact of one or more large bolides in Popigai impact structure, Siberia and in what is now ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Teleolophus
''Teleolophus'' is an extinct genus of herbivorous mammals related to tapirs that flourished in the Eocene of Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are .... References Eocene odd-toed ungulates Eocene mammals of Asia Fossil taxa described in 1925 {{paleo-oddtoedungulate-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nexuotapirus
''Nexuotapirus'' is an extinct genus of tapir from the Late Oligocene and Early Miocene of North America. Taxonomy ''Nexuotapirus'' was erected in 1998. The type species, ''N. marslandensis'', was originally classified under ''Miotapirus''. The second species, ''N. robustus'', was originally placed in ''Protapirus'' but was also moved to ''Nexuotapirus'' based on comparable lower dentition. Description ''Nexuotapirus'' shows both plesiomorphic and derived features compared to other early tapirs, making its exact relationship with them difficult to place. Primitive traits of the genus include less molar-like premolars and incisive foramina that extend posteriorly through the postcanine diastema, as well as a braincase that tapers towards the back. More advanced features include deep retraction of the nasal incision, nasal shortening, frontal shortening, and reduction of the supraorbital process, features comparable to the modern ''Tapirus ''Tapirus'' is a genus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plesiotapirus
''Plesiotapirus'' is an extinct genus of tapir from the Miocene of Asia. A single species is usually considered valid, ''Plesiotapirus yagii''. It was first described in 1921 based on fragmentary dental remains found in Japan. Fossils of ''P. yagii'' were originally classified under the defunct genus ''Palaeotapirus''. Better material, including a complete skull, were found in China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ... and in 1991 the genus ''Plesiotapirus'' was erected. References Prehistoric tapirs Miocene odd-toed ungulates Miocene mammals of Asia {{Paleo-oddtoedungulate-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paratapirus
''Paratapirus'' is an extinct genus of tapir known from the Late Oligocene and Early Miocene of Europe. Taxonomy Two species are considered valid: *''P. helveticus'' *''P. intermedius'' The species ''P. moguntiacus'' and ''P. robustus'' are considered synonyms of ''P. intermedius''. Members of this genus were originally described under the name ''Palaeotapirus'' along with several other tapir genera, but that name is now considered abandoned since it was described from poor diagnostic material. Description ''Paratapirus'' was among the earliest known tapirs, and probably evolved from ''Protapirus'' which had migrated into Eurasia from North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ... near the end of the Oligocene. In comparison to ''Protapirus'' it had more de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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