Mesohippus

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Mesohippus
Mesohippus (drawing by Heinrich Harder, around 1920)

Mesohippus (drawing by Heinrich Harder , around 1920)

Temporal occurrence
Upper Eocene to Oligocene
42 to 30.8 million years
Locations
Systematics
Higher mammals (Eutheria)
Laurasiatheria
Unpaired ungulate (Perissodactyla)
Horses (Equidae)
Anchitheriinae
Mesohippus
Scientific name
Mesohippus
Marsh , 1875

Mesohippus ( Latinized from the ancient Greek μέσος mesos "middle, half" and ἵππος hippos "horse", so "half horse") was an ancestor of horses wholivedin North America 40 to 25 million years ago during the Eocene and Oligocene periods .

Mesohippus was significantly larger than its predecessor Hyracotherium with an average shoulder height of around 60 centimeters . It owes this in particular to its significantly longer legs, as well as the regression of the back arch - typical of the Hyracotherium . Its weight is estimated at around 34 kg.

The animal still had three toes on its rear paws, but now also had three toes on its front limbs, with the middle toe protruding. In addition, incisors formed , which made it possible to eat harder grass. The skull shows a depression that was also preserved in later equids.

These adaptations suggest a changed habitat. The more humid climate during the Hyracotherium era became drier and gradually a more open steppe-like landscape with bushes, scrub and smaller shrubs emerged, which Mesohippus served as a food source.

Mesohippus (from left to right): full body view, foreleg, molar or molar (gray: enamel , dotted: dentin (dentin), white: dental cement )

Species list

  • M. bairdi
  • M. barbouri
  • M. braquistylus
  • M. equiceps
  • M. hypostylus
  • M. intermedius
  • M. latidens
  • M. longiceps
  • M. metulophus
  • M. montanensis
  • M. obliquidens
  • M. proteulophus
  • M. westoni

Web links

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