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Oreodont
Merycoidodontoidea, sometimes called "oreodonts" or "ruminating hogs", is an extinct superfamily of prehistoric cud-chewing artiodactyls with short faces and fang-like canine teeth. As their name implies, some of the better known forms were generally hog-like, and the group has traditionally been placed within the Suina (pigs, peccaries and their ancestors), though some recent work suggests they may have been more closely related to camels.Spaulding, M., O'Leary, M.A. & Gatesy, J. (2009): Relationships of Cetacea (Artiodactyla) Among Mammals: Increased Taxon Sampling Alters Interpretations of Key Fossils and Character Evolution. '' PLoS ONE'' no 4(9): e7062.article/ref> "Oreodont" means "mountain teeth", referring to the appearance of the molars. Most oreodonts were sheep-sized, though some genera grew to the size of cattle. They were heavy-bodied, with short four-toed hooves and comparatively long tails. The animals would have looked rather pig- or sheep-like, but features ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merycoidodontinae
Merycoidodontoidea, sometimes called "oreodonts" or "ruminating hogs", is an extinct superfamily of prehistoric cud-chewing artiodactyls with short faces and fang-like canine teeth. As their name implies, some of the better known forms were generally hog-like, and the group has traditionally been placed within the Suina (pigs, peccaries and their ancestors), though some recent work suggests they may have been more closely related to camels.Spaulding, M., O'Leary, M.A. & Gatesy, J. (2009): Relationships of Cetacea (Artiodactyla) Among Mammals: Increased Taxon Sampling Alters Interpretations of Key Fossils and Character Evolution. '' PLoS ONE'' no 4(9): e7062.article/ref> "Oreodont" means "mountain teeth", referring to the appearance of the molars. Most oreodonts were sheep-sized, though some genera grew to the size of cattle. They were heavy-bodied, with short four-toed hooves and comparatively long tails. The animals would have looked rather pig- or sheep-like, but features ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miniochoerinae
''Miniochoerus'' is an extinct genus of small oreodont endemic to North America. They lived during the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene 38–30.8 mya, existing for approximately . Fossils have been found only in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, and Wyoming. Species *''M. affinis'' (syn. ''Merycoidodon platycephalus'', ''M. battlecreekensis'', ''Oreodon coloradoensis'', ''Stenopsochoerus sternbergi'') *''M. chadronensis'' (syn. ''Parastenopsochoerus conversensis'', ''Stenopsochoerus douglasensis'', ''S. reideri'') *''M. forsythae'' *''M. gracilis'' *''M. starkensis'' (syn. ''M. cheyennensis'', ''M. helprini'', ''M. nicholsae'', ''M. ottensi'', ''Platyochoerus hatcreekensis'', ''P. heartensis'', ''Stenopsochoerus berardae'', ''S. joderensis'') Description Typically, there were about the size of a small dog. Their skulls were small and short, compared to other oreodont species, many of which had proportionately large heads. Unlike other oreodont species, they had sma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leptaucheniinae
Leptaucheniinae ("Delicate Necks") was a taxon of small, goat-like oreodonts with proportionally big heads found throughout North America during the Late Oligocene. Because skeletons of '' Leptauchenia'' and ''Sespia'' have been found by the literal thousands, they are often quoted as being the most numerous fossil mammals in North America during the Late Oligocene. They had high-crowned, hypsodont teeth which were used to chew gritty vegetation. Because the eyes and nostrils were placed high on the head, it was long assumed that ''Leptauchenia'' and ''Sespia'' were aquatic, or semi-aquatic animals. However, because their fossils have never been found in floodplain deposits or river channels, and their plague-like abundance in fossil sand dunes, Donald Prothero Donald Ross Prothero (February 21, 1954) is an American geologist, paleontologist, and author who specializes in mammalian paleontology and magnetostratigraphy, a technique to date rock layers of the Cenozoic era ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merycochoerus
''Merycochoerus'' (Greek: "ruminant" (merux)-like "swine" (khoiros)) is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, endemic to North America. They lived during the Early Oligocene 33.9—30.8 mya, existing for approximately . Fossils are widespread through the western United States. ''Merycochoerus'' was a cud-chewing plant-eater with a long face, tusk-like canine teeth In mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dog teeth, or (in the context of the upper jaw) fangs, eye teeth, vampire teeth, or vampire fangs, are the relatively long, pointed teeth. They can appear more flattened howeve ..., heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed hooves. The long animals are thought to have been amphibious, as members of the genus possessed an elongated, barrel-shaped body and short limbs that are typical adaptations found in semi-aquatic mammals. Species *''M. carrikeri'' (syn. ''Promerycochoerus thomsoni'') *''M. chelydra'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern marine invertebrates than the Pliocene has. The Miocene is preceded by the Oligocene and is followed by the Pliocene. As Earth went from the Oligocene through the Miocene and into the Pliocene, the climate slowly cooled towards a series of ice ages. The Miocene boundaries are not marked by a single distinct global event but consist rather of regionally defined boundaries between the warmer Oligocene and the cooler Pliocene Epoch. During the Early Miocene, the Arabian Peninsula collided with Eurasia, severing the connection between the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, and allowing a faunal interchange to occur between Eurasia and Africa, including the dispersal of proboscideans into Eurasia. During the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brachycrus
''Brachycrus'' is an extinct genus of oreodont, of the family Merycoidodontidae, endemic to North America. They lived during the Middle Miocene, 16.0—13.6 mya, existing for approximately . The long creature resembled its bigger, earlier relative ''Merycoidodon'', but was more specialized. ''Brachycrus'' had jaws which were short, and because the nostrils were placed far to the back, the creature is presumed to have had a tapir-like proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elong .... References Oreodonts Miocene even-toed ungulates Miocene mammals of North America Fossil taxa described in 1901 Prehistoric even-toed ungulate genera {{paleo-eventoedungulate-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Promerycochoerus
''Promerycochoerus'' ("Before '' Merycochoerus''" or "Before Ruminating Hog") is an extinct genus of hippopotamus-like oreodont artiodactyl that lived in Central North America during the Early Miocene. The 1 m (3 ft 4 in) long creature is thought to have been amphibious, as all species possessed an elongated, barrel-shaped body Body may refer to: In science * Physical body, an object in physics that represents a large amount, has mass or takes up space * Body (biology), the physical material of an organism * Body plan, the physical features shared by a group of anima ... and short limbs that are typical adaptations found in semi-aquatic mammals. ''P. superbus'' had a long tapir-like face, while ''P. carrikeri'' had a short, somewhat pig-like face. References Oreodonts Miocene mammals of North America Miocene even-toed ungulates Miocene genus extinctions White River Fauna Fossil taxa described in 1858 Prehistoric even-toed ungulate genera {{ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult males are referred to as bulls. Cattle are commonly raised as livestock for meat (beef or veal, see beef cattle), for milk (see dairy cattle), and for hides, which are used to make leather. They are used as riding animals and draft animals ( oxen or bullocks, which pull carts, plows and other implements). Another product of cattle is their dung, which can be used to create manure or fuel. In some regions, such as parts of India, cattle have significant religious significance. Cattle, mostly small breeds such as the Miniature Zebu, are also kept as pets. Different types of cattle are common to different geographic areas. Taurine cattle are found primarily in Europe and temperate areas of Asia, the Americas, and Australia. Zebus (also ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Molar (tooth)
The molars or molar teeth are large, flat teeth at the back of the mouth. They are more developed in mammals. They are used primarily to grind food during chewing. The name ''molar'' derives from Latin, ''molaris dens'', meaning "millstone tooth", from ''mola'', millstone and ''dens'', tooth. Molars show a great deal of diversity in size and shape across mammal groups. The third molar of humans is sometimes vestigial. Human anatomy In humans, the molar teeth have either four or five cusps. Adult humans have 12 molars, in four groups of three at the back of the mouth. The third, rearmost molar in each group is called a wisdom tooth. It is the last tooth to appear, breaking through the front of the gum at about the age of 20, although this varies from individual to individual. Race can also affect the age at which this occurs, with statistical variations between groups. In some cases, it may not even erupt at all. The human mouth contains upper (maxillary) and lower (mandib ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Even-toed Ungulate
The even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla , ) are ungulates—hoofed animals—which bear weight equally on two (an even number) of their five toes: the third and fourth. The other three toes are either present, absent, vestigial, or pointing posteriorly. By contrast, odd-toed ungulates bear weight on an odd number of the five toes. Another difference between the two is that many other even-toed ungulates (with the exception of Suina) digest plant cellulose in one or more stomach chambers rather than in their intestine as the odd-toed ungulates do. Cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) evolved from even-toed ungulates, and are therefore often classified under the same taxonomic branch because a species cannot outgrow its evolutionary ancestry; some modern taxonomists combine the two under the name Cetartiodactyla , while others opt to include cetaceans in the already-existing Artiodactyla. The roughly 270 land-based even-toed ungulate species include pigs, peccaries, hippo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Artiodactyl
The even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla , ) are ungulates—hoofed animals—which bear weight equally on two (an even number) of their five toes: the third and fourth. The other three toes are either present, absent, vestigial, or pointing posteriorly. By contrast, odd-toed ungulates bear weight on an odd number of the five toes. Another difference between the two is that many other even-toed ungulates (with the exception of Suina) digest plant cellulose in one or more stomach chambers rather than in their intestine as the odd-toed ungulates do. Cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) evolved from even-toed ungulates, and are therefore often classified under the same taxonomic branch because a species cannot outgrow its evolutionary ancestry; some modern taxonomists combine the two under the name Cetartiodactyla , while others opt to include cetaceans in the already-existing Artiodactyla. The roughly 270 land-based even-toed ungulate species include pigs, peccaries, hippopota ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
