''Blancotherium'' (meaning "Blanco Creek beast") is an extinct

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of gomphotheriid

proboscidean The Proboscidea (; , ) are a taxonomic order of afrotherian mammals containing one living family (Elephantidae) and several extinct families. First described by J. Illiger in 1811, it encompasses the elephants and their close relatives. From ...

from Texas. May, SR; 2019 "The Lapara Creek Fauna: Early Clarendonian of south Texas, USA". Palaeontologia Electronica (22.1.15)1-129 Originally named ''Gnathabelodon'' "buckneri", the genus consists solely of type species ''B. buckneri''.

Etymology

''Blancotheriums generic name is derived from

Blanco Creek Blanco Creek is a river in Texas. See also *List of rivers of Texas The list of rivers of Texas is a list of all named waterways, including rivers and streams that partially pass through or are entirely located within the U.S. state of Texas. A ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, and the Greek ''thēria'' "beast, animal". The specific epithet is named for the Buckner Ranch, where the holotype was discovered.

Description

''Blancotherium'' is known a wide variety of cranial remains, including two skulls (TMM 30896-390 and TMM 30896-570), two isolated lower tusks (TMM 30896-530 and TMN 30896-526). and several mandibular fragments. The tusks are long and laterally compressed, curving gently upward. They lack an enamel band and do not spiral. The lower tusks are small and oval-shaped, and in contrast to the upper tusks, possess enamel bands. Mandibles from the most mature known individuals have elongated symphyses, and evidence that they had lower tusks is ambiguous. The shape of the mandibles varies, but they generally possessed long, narrow symphyses. Some specimens suggest the anterior end of the symphysis is bilobed in structure. The intermediate molars are trilophodont in structure, while the third molars commonly exhibit four well-developed ridges, with a smaller fifth ridge and a posterior heel, which consists of 2-3 conules. The molars are primarily hypsodont, and include conules in the valleys between the primary ridges.

Paleoecology

The fauna and flora of the Lapara Creek locality, which ''Blancotherium'' is known from are consistent with the other localities within the Clarendonian North American Stage. This suggests a mixed woodland-grassland environment situated on a broad floodplain with a number of rivers.

References

Prehistoric placental genera Proboscideans Miocene proboscideans Miocene first appearances Miocene extinctions Fossil taxa described in 2019 {{paleo-afrotheria-stub