Sivatherium ("Shiva's beast", from Shiva and therium, Latinized form of Ancient Greek θηρίον - thēríon) is an extinct genus of giraffids that ranged throughout Africa to the Indian subcontinent. The species Sivatherium giganteum is, by weight, one of the largest giraffid known, and also one of the largest ruminants of all time.[3]
Sivatherium originated during the Late Miocene (around 7 million years ago) in Africa and survived through to the late Early Pleistocene (Calabrian)[4]S. giganteum remains have been recovered from the Himalayan foothills, dating around 1 million years ago. Suggestions have been made that S. maurusium may have gone extinct as recently as 8,000 years ago, as depictions that resemble it are known from ancient rock paintings in the Sahara[5] and Central West India.[6] But these claims are not substantiated by fossil evidence, and the depictions likely represent other animals.[7]
Sivatherium resembled the modern okapi, but was far larger, and more heavily built, being about 2.2 m (7.2 ft) tall at the shoulder, 3 m (9.8 ft) in total height with a weight up to 400–500 kg (880–1,100 lb).[8] A newer estimate has come up with an estimated body mass of about 1,250 kg (2,760 lb)[3] or 1,360 kg (3,000 lb).[9] This would make Sivatherium one of the largest known ruminants, rivalling the modern giraffe and the largest bovines. This weight estimate is thought to be an underestimate, as it does not take into account the large horns possessed by males of the species. Sivatherium had a wide, antler-like pair of ossicones on its head, and a second pair of ossicones above its eyes. Its shoulders were very powerful to support the neckmuscles required to lift the heavy skull. Sivatherium was initially misidentified as an archaic link between modern ruminants and the now obsolete, polyphyletic "pachyderms" (elephants, rhinoceroses, horses and tapirs). The confusion arose in part due to the graviportal (robust) morphology, which was unlike anything else studied at that time. [5]
Diet
A dental wear analysis of S. hendeyi from the Early Pliocene of South Africa found that the teeth were brachyodont, but had a higher hypsodonty than a giraffe, and that it was best classified as a mixed feeder, being able to both graze and browse.[10]
^Falconer, Hugh; Cautley, P. T. (1836). "Sivatherium giganteum, a new fossil ruminant genus, from the valley of the Markanda, in the Sivalik branch of the Sub-Himalayan Mountains". Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal: 38–50.
^ abBasu, Christopher; Falkingham, Peter L.; Hutchinson, John R. (January 2016). "The extinct, giant giraffid Sivatherium giganteum: skeletal reconstruction and body mass estimation". Biology Letters. 12 (1): 20150940. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2015.0940. PMC4785933. PMID 26763212.
^"Fossilworks: Sivatherium". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
^ abPalmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 278. ISBN978-1-84028-152-1.
^"Rock paintings show species that roamed India". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
^Naish, Darren (April 25, 2011). "What happened with that Sumerian 'sivathere' figurine after Colbert's paper of 1936? Well, a lot". Tetrapod Zoology.
^Black, Riley (February 10, 2016). "The Biggest Giraffe of All Time". National Geographic. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
^Franz-Odendaal, Tamara A. Solounias, Nikos. Comparative dietary evaluations of an extinct giraffid (sivatherium hendeyi) (mammalia, giraffidae, sivatheriinae) from Langebaanweg, South Africa (Early Pliocene). OCLC 631971239.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Further reading
Barry Cox, Colin Harrison, R.J.G. Savage, and Brian Gardiner. (1999): The Simon & Schuster Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures: A Visual Who's Who of Prehistoric Life. Simon & Schuster.
David Norman. (2001): The Big Book Of Dinosaurs. pg. 228, Walcome books.
After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals (Life of the Past) by Donald R. Prothero
The Evolution of Artiodactyls by Donald R. Prothero and Scott E. Foss
Vertebrate Palaeontology by Michael J. Benton and John Sibbick
Evolving Eden: An Illustrated Guide to the Evolution of the African Large Mammal Fauna by Alan Turner and Mauricio Anton
Classification of Mammals by Malcolm C. McKenna and Susan K. Bell \
The Book of Life: An Illustrated History of the Evolution of Life on Earth, Second Edition by Stephen Jay Gould
World Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures: The Ultimate Visual Reference To 1000 Dinosaurs And Prehistoric Creatures Of Land, Air And Sea ... And Cretaceous Eras (World Encyclopedia) by Dougal Dixon
Eyewitness: Prehistoric Life by William Lindsay
Walker's Mammals of the World (2-Volume Set) (Walker's Mammals of the World) by Ronald M. Nowak
Horns, Tusks, and Flippers: The Evolution of Hoofed Mammals by Donald R. Prothero and Robert M. Schoch
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sivatherium.
Wikispecies has information related to Sivatherium.
February 07, 2023
sivatherium, shiva, beast, from, shiva, therium, latinized, form, ancient, greek, θηρίον, thēríon, extinct, genus, giraffids, that, ranged, throughout, africa, indian, subcontinent, species, giganteum, weight, largest, giraffid, known, also, largest, ruminants. Sivatherium Shiva s beast from Shiva and therium Latinized form of Ancient Greek 8hrion therion is an extinct genus of giraffids that ranged throughout Africa to the Indian subcontinent The species Sivatherium giganteum is by weight one of the largest giraffid known and also one of the largest ruminants of all time 3 SivatheriumTemporal range Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene 7 0 8 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg NSkeleton of S giganteumScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ArtiodactylaFamily GiraffidaeSubfamily SivatheriinaeGenus SivatheriumFalconer amp Cautley 1836 1 2 Type species Sivatherium giganteumFalconer amp Cautley 1836Species S giganteum S hendeyi Harris 1976Sivatherium originated during the Late Miocene around 7 million years ago in Africa and survived through to the late Early Pleistocene Calabrian 4 S giganteum remains have been recovered from the Himalayan foothills dating around 1 million years ago Suggestions have been made that S maurusium may have gone extinct as recently as 8 000 years ago as depictions that resemble it are known from ancient rock paintings in the Sahara 5 and Central West India 6 But these claims are not substantiated by fossil evidence and the depictions likely represent other animals 7 Contents 1 Description 2 Diet 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDescription Edit Modern giraffe like restoration in the MEPAN Outdated moose like restoration Museum reconstruction Sivatherium resembled the modern okapi but was far larger and more heavily built being about 2 2 m 7 2 ft tall at the shoulder 3 m 9 8 ft in total height with a weight up to 400 500 kg 880 1 100 lb 8 A newer estimate has come up with an estimated body mass of about 1 250 kg 2 760 lb 3 or 1 360 kg 3 000 lb 9 This would make Sivatherium one of the largest known ruminants rivalling the modern giraffe and the largest bovines This weight estimate is thought to be an underestimate as it does not take into account the large horns possessed by males of the species Sivatherium had a wide antler like pair of ossicones on its head and a second pair of ossicones above its eyes Its shoulders were very powerful to support the neck muscles required to lift the heavy skull Sivatherium was initially misidentified as an archaic link between modern ruminants and the now obsolete polyphyletic pachyderms elephants rhinoceroses horses and tapirs The confusion arose in part due to the graviportal robust morphology which was unlike anything else studied at that time 5 Diet EditA dental wear analysis of S hendeyi from the Early Pliocene of South Africa found that the teeth were brachyodont but had a higher hypsodonty than a giraffe and that it was best classified as a mixed feeder being able to both graze and browse 10 See also Edit Paleontology portalHydaspitherium Bramatherium Vishnutherium ProlibytheriumReferences Edit Sivatherium in the Paleobiology Database Falconer Hugh Cautley P T 1836 Sivatherium giganteum a new fossil ruminant genus from the valley of the Markanda in the Sivalik branch of the Sub Himalayan Mountains Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 38 50 a b Basu Christopher Falkingham Peter L Hutchinson John R January 2016 The extinct giant giraffid Sivatherium giganteum skeletal reconstruction and body mass estimation Biology Letters 12 1 20150940 doi 10 1098 rsbl 2015 0940 PMC 4785933 PMID 26763212 Fossilworks Sivatherium fossilworks org Retrieved 17 December 2021 a b Palmer D ed 1999 The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals London Marshall Editions p 278 ISBN 978 1 84028 152 1 Rock paintings show species that roamed India www newindianexpress com Retrieved 2016 09 14 Naish Darren April 25 2011 What happened with that Sumerian sivathere figurine after Colbert s paper of 1936 Well a lot Tetrapod Zoology http www geocities ws rsn biodata Data Sivatherium giganteum html in Portuguese Black Riley February 10 2016 The Biggest Giraffe of All Time National Geographic Retrieved November 2 2022 Franz Odendaal Tamara A Solounias Nikos Comparative dietary evaluations of an extinct giraffid sivatherium hendeyi mammalia giraffidae sivatheriinae from Langebaanweg South Africa Early Pliocene OCLC 631971239 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Further reading EditBarry Cox Colin Harrison R J G Savage and Brian Gardiner 1999 The Simon amp Schuster Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures A Visual Who s Who of Prehistoric Life Simon amp Schuster David Norman 2001 The Big Book Of Dinosaurs pg 228 Walcome books After the Dinosaurs The Age of Mammals Life of the Past by Donald R Prothero The Evolution of Artiodactyls by Donald R Prothero and Scott E Foss Vertebrate Palaeontology by Michael J Benton and John Sibbick Evolving Eden An Illustrated Guide to the Evolution of the African Large Mammal Fauna by Alan Turner and Mauricio Anton Classification of Mammals by Malcolm C McKenna and Susan K Bell The Book of Life An Illustrated History of the Evolution of Life on Earth Second Edition by Stephen Jay Gould World Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs amp Prehistoric Creatures The Ultimate Visual Reference To 1000 Dinosaurs And Prehistoric Creatures Of Land Air And Sea And Cretaceous Eras World Encyclopedia by Dougal Dixon Eyewitness Prehistoric Life by William Lindsay Walker s Mammals of the World 2 Volume Set Walker s Mammals of the World by Ronald M Nowak Horns Tusks and Flippers The Evolution of Hoofed Mammals by Donald R Prothero and Robert M SchochExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sivatherium Wikispecies has information related to Sivatherium Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sivatherium amp oldid 1119566509, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
