| Anthracotheriidae | |
|---|---|
 Anthracotherium magnum restoration | |
| Scientific Classification | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Family | †Anthracotheriidae |
Anthracotheriidae is a family of extinct, hippopotamus-like artiodactyl ungulates related to hippopotamuses and whales. The oldest genus, Elomeryx, first appeared during the Middle Eocene in Asia. They thrived in Africa and Eurasia, with a few species ultimately entering North America during the Oligocene. They died out in Europe and Africa during the Miocene, possibly due to a combination of climatic changes and competition with other artiodactyls, including pigs and true hippopotami. The youngest genus, Merycopotamus, died out in Asia during the late Pliocene. The family is named after the first genus discovered, Anthracotherium, which means "coal beast," as the first fossils of it were found in Paleogene-aged coal beds in France. Fossil remains of the anthracothere genus were discovered by the Harvard University and Geological Survey of Pakistan joint research project in the well-dated Middle and Late Miocene deposits of the Pothohar Plateau in northern Pakistan.
In life, the average anthracothere would have resembled a skinny hippopotamus with a comparatively small, narrow head and most likely pig-like in general appearance. They had four or five toes on each foot, and broad feet suited to walking on soft mud. They had a full set of approximately 44 teeth with five semi-crescentric cusps on the upper molars, which, in some species, were adapted for digging up the roots of aquatic plants.
Genus Anthracotherium[]
Anthracotherium ("Coal Beast") was a genus of extinct artiodactyl ungulate mammals, characterized by having 44 teeth, with five semi-crescentic cusps on the crowns of the upper molars. The genus ranged throughout the Oligocene period, having a distribution throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. They died out during the mid to late Miocene, possibly due to a combination of climatic change and competition from other artiodactyls, including pigs and hippopotami (such may have been the case in Europe). The European Anthracotherium magnum was approximately as large as a pygmy hippo (about 2 m long and weighting up to 250 kg), but there were several smaller species and the genus also occurs in Egypt, India and North America.[1] Members of the genus Anthracotherium, as well as other members of the family Anthracotheriidae, are known colloquially as anthracotheres.
Genus Bothriogenys[]
Bothriogenys was a genus of anthracotheres that lived in Eastern Africa during the early Oligocene. Most fossils have been found in Fayum, Egypt. In life, they would have resembled hippopotamuses with small, elongated heads.
Genus Elomeryx[]
Elomeryx is an extinct genus of Artiodactyla, and is among the earliest known anthracotheres. The genus was extremely widespread, first being found in Asia in the middle Eocene, in Europe during the latest Eocene, and having spread to North America by the early Oligocene.Elomeryx was about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in body length, and had a long, vaguely horse-like head. It small tusks which it used to uproot plants, and spoon-shaped incisors ideal for pulling and cropping water plants. Elomeryx had five-toed hind legs and four-toed front legs, resulting in wide feet which made it easier to walk on soft mud. It probably had similar habits to the modern hippopotamus, to which it may have been related.
Genus Libycosaurus[]
Libycosaurus ("Lizard of Libya") was one of the last anthracothere genera. It lived from the Middle to the Late Miocene, and ranged throughout Central and Northern Africa, and in Uganda, in what was then a lush, marshy environment.
Genus Merycopotamus[]
Merycopotamus is an extinct genus of Asian anthracothere that appeared during the Middle Miocene, and died out in the Late Pliocene. At the height of the genus' influence, species ranged throughout southern Asia. With the extinction of the last species, M. dissimilis, the lineage of anthracotheres came to an end. Merycopotamus was closely related to the anthracothere genus Libycosaurus, which, unlike the former, never left Africa. In fact, some African fossils originally placed in Merycopotamus, but are now referred to Libycosaurus.
Genera[]
Subfamily Anthracotheriinae
Anthracotherium A. sminthos A. magnum A. pangan A. monsvialense A. minus A. minimum A. bumbachense A. meneghinii Heptacodon Siamotherium
Subfamily Bothriodontinae
Aepinacondon Afromeryx Arretotherium Brachyodus Bothriogenys B. fraasi B. andrewsi B. parvus B. gorringei B. rugulosus B. africanus Elomeryx E. armatus E. borbonicus E. cluai E. crispus E. garbanii Hemimeryx Kukusepasutanka Libycosaurus L. algeriensis L. anisae L. petrocchii Merycopotamus M. dissimilis M. medioximus M. nanus M. thachangensis Sivameryx
