Coryphodon
| Coryphodon | ||||||||||||
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Two coryphodons |
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| Temporal occurrence | ||||||||||||
| Paleocene to Eocene | ||||||||||||
| 59 to 51 million years | ||||||||||||
| Locations | ||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Coryphodon | ||||||||||||
| Owen , 1845 | ||||||||||||
Coryphodon is an extinct mammal that lived from the end of the Paleocene to the early Eocene , around 59 to 51 million years ago. The species was described by Richard Owen in 1845 .
features
Coryphodon reached a live weight of half a ton and over a meter shoulder height. The body reached up to 2.25 meters in length. Their herbivorous diet could be recognized by their molars . The body was barrel-shaped, but the legs were relatively short and stocky. The males had " fangs " that were probably used in rival fights. It is interesting that Coryphodon had the smallest brain of all mammals in relation to the body . It weighed 90 grams, which is 0.018% of the body weight.
Way of life
Due to the relatively clumsy build, a semi- aquatic way of life is very likely. It probably ate flowers and aquatic plants. Coryphodon's natural enemies were carnivorous Cimolesta . It was relatively easy prey as it was neither fast nor had any protection .
Systematics
Although Coryphodon looked very much like a hippopotamus, it wasn't even remotely related to them. Instead he is the namesake and largest representative of the Coryphodontidae . The Coryphodontidae belonged to the pantodonts , a primitive family of mammals that flourished in the Paleocene and Eocene. The pantodonts were the first known mammals to reach over-dog-sized dimensions. By the end of the Eocene, they were likely supplanted by more effective and faster grazing animals such as the Brontotheriidae .
literature
- David Lambert: Lexicon of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. Dorling Kindersley, London et al. 2002, ISBN 3-8310-0342-4 , p. 51.
- Elizabeth M. McGee, William D. Turnbull: A Paleopopulation of Coryphodon lobatus (Mammalia: Pantodonta) from Deardorff Hill Coryphodon Quarry, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado. In: Fieldiana Geology. 52, 2010, ISSN 0096-2651 , pp. 1-12. Abstract at BioOne.
Web links
- Coryphodon profile from John W. Hoganson: Prehistoric Life of North Dakota North Dakota Geological Survey (PDF)