''Prosynthetoceras'' 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
Artiodactyla
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 poster ...
, of the family
Protoceratidae
Protoceratidae is an extinct family of herbivorous North American artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates) that lived during the Eocene through Pliocene at around 46.2—4.9 Mya, existing for about 41 million years.
Classification
Protoceratidae was ...
, endemic to
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 ...
. It lived from the Early to Middle
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 recen ...
20.6—13.6
Ma, existing for approximately .
''Prosynthetoceras'' at fossilworks
/ref> In appearance, ''Prosynthetoceras'' looked much like ''Syndyoceras
''Syndyoceras'' is a small extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to central North America from the Miocene epoch (24.8—20.6 Ma), existing for approximately .
Taxonomy
''Syndyoceras'' was named by Barbour (1 ...
'', ''Kyptoceras
''Kyptoceras'' is a small extinct artiodactyl ungulate mammal of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to southeastern North America from the Miocene to Early Pliocene epoch 23.03—3.6 Ma, existing for approximately .D. R. Prothero and J. A. Ludtk ...
'', and ''Synthetoceras
''Synthetoceras tricornatus'' is a large, extinct protoceratid, endemic to North America ( Nebraska ) during the Late Miocene, 10.3—5.3 Ma, existing for approximately . Fossils have been recovered from Nebraska and Texas
Texas (, ; Spa ...
'' with three horns, one on the snout, and two above the eyes.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7251128
Protoceratids
Serravallian extinctions
Miocene even-toed ungulates
Miocene mammals of North America
Aquitanian genus first appearances
Fossil taxa described in 1967
Prehistoric even-toed ungulate genera