Anthracotherium

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Anthracotherium
Live reconstruction of Anthracotherium magnum

Live reconstruction of Anthracotherium magnum

Temporal occurrence
Oligocene to Miocene
approx. 30 to approx. 19 million years
Locations
Systematics
Laurasiatheria
Artiodactyla (Artiodactyla)
Hippopotamoidea
Anthracotheriidae
Anthracotheriinae
Anthracotherium
Scientific name
Anthracotherium
Cuvier , 1822

Anthracotherium is an extinct species of the order Artiodactyla (Artiodactyla) extending from the early Oligozän to the lower Miozän lived. The name is based on the discovery of its fossil remains in anthracite coal and is the namesake for the group of Anthracotheriidae .

features

Outwardly, Anthracotherium looked like a hippopotamus and also achieved its proportions. Although the head was pig-like, Anthracotherium is not even remotely related to pigs . The limbs were short and not suitable for running fast. The skull was very large in relation to the body.

Way of life

Anthracotherium may have lived semi- aquatic . It had no means of defense and was therefore relatively easy prey for carnivores. As it fed on, is not exactly busy, but one suspects a herbivorous diet .

Systematics

Canine of anthracotherium

Anthracotherium was first described in 1822 by Georges Cuvier with the type species Anthracotherium magnum . More recent synonyms are Bugtitherium Pilgrim, 1908 and Anthracothema Pilgrim, 1928. Ducrocq, 1999 classified the 6 species from the genera Heothema Tang, 1978 and Huananometha Tang, 1978 in the genus Anthracotherium . There are currently 15 types:

  • Anthracotherium alsaticum Cuvier, 1822
  • Anthracotherium bimonsvialensemagnum Colpe-Posse, 1971
  • Anthracotherium bugtiense Pilgrim, 1907
  • Anthracotherium bumbachense Stehlin, 1910
  • Anthracotherium chaimanei Ducrocq, 1999
  • Anthracotherium cuvieri Gadry, 1873
  • Anthracotherium crassum Pilgrim & Cotter, 1916
  • Anthracotherium hippoideum Rütimeyer, 1857
  • Anthracotherium illyricum plate, 1886
  • Anthracotherium magnum Cuvier, 1822
  • Anthracotherium monsvialense De Zigno, 1888
  • Anthracotherium kwablianicum Gabunia, 1964
  • Anthracotherium seckbachense Kinkelin, 1884
  • Anthracotherium pangan Pilgrim & Cotter, 1916
  • Anthracotherium valdense Kowalevski, 1876

swell

literature

  • Franz Spillmann: A new Anthracotherium from the Upper Oligocene Sands of Linz (Anthracotherium frehi n. Sp.). In: Yearbook of the Upper Austrian Museum Association. Linz 1974, pp. 179-198 ( PDF (5.2 MB) on ZOBODAT ).
  • Donald R. Prothero, Scott E. Foss (Eds.): The Evolution of Artiodactyls. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2007, ISBN 978-0-8018-8735-2 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Gideon Algernon Mantell: The Wonders of Geology. General Books LLC, 2009, ISBN 978-0-559-91898-8 , p. 243.
  2. Georges Cuvier : Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles . Novelle édition, Tome III, 1822, pp. 396–398, Tome IV, 1823, pp. 500–502.

Web links

Commons : Anthracotherium  - collection of images, videos and audio files