Uintatherium ("Beast of the Uinta Mountains") is an extinct genus of herbivorousdinoceratan mammal that lived during the Eocene epoch. Two species are currently recognized: U. anceps from the United States during the Early to Middle Eocene (56–38 million years ago) and U. insperatus of Middle to Late Eocene (48–34 million years ago) China.[1]
Uintatherium was a large browsing animal. With a skull 76 cm (30 in) long, 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) tall at the shoulder,[2] body length of about 4 m (13 ft) and a weight up to 2 tonnes, it was similar to today's rhinoceros, both in size and in shape.[3] Its legs were robust to sustain the weight of the animal and were equipped with hooves.[4] Moreover, a Uintatherium's sternum was made up of horizontal segments, unlike today's rhinos, which have compressed vertical segments.[5]
Its most unusual feature was the skull, which was large and strongly built, but simultaneously flat and concave: this feature is rare and is found in no other known mammal except some brontotheres. The cranial cavity was exceptionally small because the walls of the cranium were exceedingly thick. The cranium was lightened by several sinuses, like those in an elephant's skull.
The front of the male's skull bore six knob-like ossicones, which projected 5–25 cm (2.0–9.8 in).[2] Their function is unknown. They may have been used in defense and/or sexual display.
Discovery and taxonomyedit
Restoration of Edward Cope's proboscidean Loxolophodon theory from 1873
Fossils of Uintatherium were first discovered in the Bridger Basin near Fort Bridger by Lieutenant W. N. Wann in September 1870 and were later described as a new species of Titanotherium, Titanotherium anceps, by Othniel Marsh in 1871.[6] The specimen (YPM 11030) only consisted of several skull pieces, including the right parietal horn, and fragmentary postcrania.[6] The following year, Marsh and Joseph Leidy collected in the Eocene Beds near Fort Bridger while Edward Cope, Marsh's competitor, excavated in the Washakie Basin. In August 1872, Leidy named Uintatherium robustum based on a posterior skull and partial mandibles (ANSP 12607).[6][7] Another specimen discovered by Leidy's crews consisting of a canine was named Uintamastix atrox and was thought to have been a saber-toothed and carnivorous.[7]
Eighteen days after the description of Uintatherium, Cope and Marsh both named new genera of Uinta dinoceratans, Cope naming Loxolophodon in his "garbled" telegram[8] and Marsh dubbed Tinoceras.[9] Due to Uintatherium being named first, Cope and Marsh's genera are synonymous with Uintatherium.[6] Cope described two genera in his telegram, Loxolophodon and Eobasileus;[8][10] the latter is currently considered separate from Uintatherium.[6]Tinoceras was a new genus made for Titanotherium anceps by Marsh.[9][6] Several days later, Marsh erected the genus Dinoceras.[6]Dinoceras and Tinoceras would receive several additional species by Marsh throughout the 1870s and 1880s, many based on fragmentary material.[9][6] Several complete skulls were found by Cope and Marsh crews, leading to theories like Cope's proboscidean assessment.[10][11] Because of Cope and Marsh's rivalry, the two would often publish scathing criticisms of each other's work, stating their respective genera were valid.[6] The trio would name 25 species now considered synonymous with Marsh's original species, Titanotherium anceps, which was placed in Leidy's genus, Uintatherium.[6]
The fossil distributions of Uintatherium found in United States
Many additional discoveries of Uintatherium have since occurred, making Uintatherium one of the best-known and popular American fossil mammals.[12][6]Princeton University launched expeditions to the Eocene beds of Wyoming in the 1870s and 1880s, discovering several partial since skulls and naming several species of uintatheres that are now considered synonyms of U. anceps.[13][6] Major reassessment came in the 1960s by Walter Wheeler who synonymized and re-described many of the Uintatherium fossils discovered during the 19th century[6] A cast of a Uintatheriumskeleton is on display at the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park. The skeleton of Uintatherium is also on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.[14] A new species was named based on almost intact skull, U. insperatus, found in the lower part of the Lushi Formation of the Lushi Basin in Henan Province, China.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abTong, Yongsheng; Wang Jingwen (July 1981). "A Skull of Uintatherium from Henan" (PDF). Vertebrata PalAsiatica. XIX (3): 208–214.
^ abcRich, Patricia Vickers; Rich, Thomas Hewitt; Fenton, Mildred Adams; Fenton, Carroll Lane (15 January 2020). The Fossil Book: A Record of Prehistoric Life. Dover Publications. p. 555. ISBN9780486838557. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
^"Ice Age Mammals". EnchantedLearning.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
^Leidy, Joseph (1873). "Contribution to the extinct vertebrate fauna of the Western Territories". Geological Survey of the Territories. 1.
^Marsh, Othniel Charles (1881). "Restoration of Dinoceras mirabile" (PDF). American Journal of Science. XXII (127): 31. Bibcode:1881AmJS...22...31M. doi:10.2475/ajs.s3-22.127.31. S2CID 130429715.
^ abcdefghijklmWheeler, W. H. (1961). "Revision of the Uintatheres" (PDF). Peabody Museum of Natural History Bulletin. 14. Yale University.
^ abLeidy, Joseph (1872). "On some new species of fossil mammalia from Wyoming". Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia Proc.: 240–242.
^ abCope, Edward (1872). "Telegram describing extinct Proboscidians from Wyoming". Paleontological Bulletin. 5.
^ abcAnonymous (1 March 1885). "Professor Marsh's monography of the dinocerata". American Journal of Science. s3-29 (171): 173–204. Bibcode:1885AmJS...29..173A. doi:10.2475/ajs.s3-29.171.173. ISSN 0002-9599. S2CID 219246354.
^ abCope, E. D. (1873). "On the Short Footed Ungulata of the Eocene of Wyoming". Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 13 (90): 38–74.
^Cope, E. D. (1873). "On Some of Prof. Marsh's Criticisms". The American Naturalist. 7 (5): 290–299. doi:10.1086/271139. S2CID 85218504.
^Wheeler, W. H. (1960). "The uintatheres and the Cope–Marsh war". Science. 131 (3408): 1171–1176. Bibcode:1960Sci...131.1171W. doi:10.1126/science.131.3408.1171. PMID 17773922.
^Scott, W. B. (1886). "On some new forms of the Dinocerata". Am. Jour. Sci. 31 (3): 303–307. Bibcode:1886AmJS...31..303S. doi:10.2475/ajs.s3-31.184.303. S2CID 130191459.
^"Paleobiology". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Further readingedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Uintatherium.
Wood, Horace Elmer 1923, The problem of the Uintatherium molars, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History ; v. 48, article 18
Fossil Evidence – Eocene: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
May 10, 2024
uintatherium, beast, uinta, mountains, extinct, genus, herbivorous, dinoceratan, mammal, that, lived, during, eocene, epoch, species, currently, recognized, anceps, from, united, states, during, early, middle, eocene, million, years, insperatus, middle, late, . Uintatherium Beast of the Uinta Mountains is an extinct genus of herbivorous dinoceratan mammal that lived during the Eocene epoch Two species are currently recognized U anceps from the United States during the Early to Middle Eocene 56 38 million years ago and U insperatus of Middle to Late Eocene 48 34 million years ago China 1 UintatheriumTemporal range Eocene 56 34 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Cast of the skeleton French National Museum of Natural History in the Paris Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Dinocerata Family Uintatheriidae Subfamily Uintatheriinae Genus UintatheriumLeidy 1872 Species U anceps Marsh 1871 U insperatus Tong amp Wang 1981 Synonyms Genus synonymy Uintamastix Leidy 1872Loxolophodon Cope 1872Tinoceras Marsh 1872Dinoceras Marsh 1872Ditetrodon Cope 1885Octotomus Cope 1885Elachoceras Scott 1886 Synonyms of U anceps Titanotherium anceps Marsh 1871Uintatherium robustum Leidy 1872Uintamastix atrox Leidy 1872Loxolophodon furcatus Cope 1872Loxolophodon pressicornis Cope 1872Tinoceras grande Marsh 1872Dinoceras mirabile Marsh 1872Dinoceras lacustre Marsh 1872Dinoceras lucare Marsh 1873Dinoceras laticeps Marsh 1873Eobasileus galeatus Cope 1873Dinoceras distans Marsh 1885Tinoceras pugnax Marsh 1885Uintatherium latifrons Marsh 1885Tinoceras vagans Marsh 1885Uintatherium segne Marsh 1885Dinoceras agreste Marsh 1885Dinoceras cuneum Marsh 1885Dinoceras reflexum Marsh 1885Tinoceras affine Marsh 1885Tinoceras crassifrons Marsh 1885Tinoceras hians Marsh 1885Tinoceras jugum Marsh 1885Tinoceras Platoceras latum Marsh 1885Tinoceras Laoceras pugnax Marsh 1885Elachoceras parvum Scott 1886Uintatherium alticeps Scott 1886 Contents 1 Description 1 1 Skull 2 Discovery and taxonomy 3 References 4 Further readingDescription edit nbsp Restoration Uintatherium was a large browsing animal With a skull 76 cm 30 in long 1 5 m 4 ft 11 in tall at the shoulder 2 body length of about 4 m 13 ft and a weight up to 2 tonnes it was similar to today s rhinoceros both in size and in shape 3 Its legs were robust to sustain the weight of the animal and were equipped with hooves 4 Moreover a Uintatherium s sternum was made up of horizontal segments unlike today s rhinos which have compressed vertical segments 5 Skull edit nbsp Cast of U anceps skull French National Museum of Natural History Paris Its most unusual feature was the skull which was large and strongly built but simultaneously flat and concave this feature is rare and is found in no other known mammal except some brontotheres The cranial cavity was exceptionally small because the walls of the cranium were exceedingly thick The cranium was lightened by several sinuses like those in an elephant s skull The teeth were larger in males than in females The upper canine teeth were large and may have been formidable defensive weapons 2 superficially they resembled those of saber toothed cats The front of the male s skull bore six knob like ossicones which projected 5 25 cm 2 0 9 8 in 2 Their function is unknown They may have been used in defense and or sexual display Discovery and taxonomy edit nbsp Restoration of Edward Cope s proboscidean Loxolophodon theory from 1873Fossils of Uintatherium were first discovered in the Bridger Basin near Fort Bridger by Lieutenant W N Wann in September 1870 and were later described as a new species of Titanotherium Titanotherium anceps by Othniel Marsh in 1871 6 The specimen YPM 11030 only consisted of several skull pieces including the right parietal horn and fragmentary postcrania 6 The following year Marsh and Joseph Leidy collected in the Eocene Beds near Fort Bridger while Edward Cope Marsh s competitor excavated in the Washakie Basin In August 1872 Leidy named Uintatherium robustum based on a posterior skull and partial mandibles ANSP 12607 6 7 Another specimen discovered by Leidy s crews consisting of a canine was named Uintamastix atrox and was thought to have been a saber toothed and carnivorous 7 Eighteen days after the description of Uintatherium Cope and Marsh both named new genera of Uinta dinoceratans Cope naming Loxolophodon in his garbled telegram 8 and Marsh dubbed Tinoceras 9 Due to Uintatherium being named first Cope and Marsh s genera are synonymous with Uintatherium 6 Cope described two genera in his telegram Loxolophodon and Eobasileus 8 10 the latter is currently considered separate from Uintatherium 6 Tinoceras was a new genus made for Titanotherium anceps by Marsh 9 6 Several days later Marsh erected the genus Dinoceras 6 Dinoceras and Tinoceras would receive several additional species by Marsh throughout the 1870s and 1880s many based on fragmentary material 9 6 Several complete skulls were found by Cope and Marsh crews leading to theories like Cope s proboscidean assessment 10 11 Because of Cope and Marsh s rivalry the two would often publish scathing criticisms of each other s work stating their respective genera were valid 6 The trio would name 25 species now considered synonymous with Marsh s original species Titanotherium anceps which was placed in Leidy s genus Uintatherium 6 nbsp The fossil distributions of Uintatherium found in United States Many additional discoveries of Uintatherium have since occurred making Uintatherium one of the best known and popular American fossil mammals 12 6 Princeton University launched expeditions to the Eocene beds of Wyoming in the 1870s and 1880s discovering several partial since skulls and naming several species of uintatheres that are now considered synonyms of U anceps 13 6 Major reassessment came in the 1960s by Walter Wheeler who synonymized and re described many of the Uintatherium fossils discovered during the 19th century 6 A cast of a Uintatherium skeleton is on display at the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park The skeleton of Uintatherium is also on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC 14 A new species was named based on almost intact skull U insperatus found in the lower part of the Lushi Formation of the Lushi Basin in Henan Province China 1 References edit a b Tong Yongsheng Wang Jingwen July 1981 A Skull of Uintatherium from Henan PDF Vertebrata PalAsiatica XIX 3 208 214 a b c Rich Patricia Vickers Rich Thomas Hewitt Fenton Mildred Adams Fenton Carroll Lane 15 January 2020 The Fossil Book A Record of Prehistoric Life Dover Publications p 555 ISBN 9780486838557 Retrieved 4 September 2022 Ice Age Mammals EnchantedLearning com Retrieved 26 November 2022 Leidy Joseph 1873 Contribution to the extinct vertebrate fauna of the Western Territories Geological Survey of the Territories 1 Marsh Othniel Charles 1881 Restoration of Dinoceras mirabile PDF American Journal of Science XXII 127 31 Bibcode 1881AmJS 22 31M doi 10 2475 ajs s3 22 127 31 S2CID 130429715 a b c d e f g h i j k l m Wheeler W H 1961 Revision of the Uintatheres PDF Peabody Museum of Natural History Bulletin 14 Yale University a b Leidy Joseph 1872 On some new species of fossil mammalia from Wyoming Acad Nat Sci Philadelphia Proc 240 242 a b Cope Edward 1872 Telegram describing extinct Proboscidians from Wyoming Paleontological Bulletin 5 a b c Anonymous 1 March 1885 Professor Marsh s monography of the dinocerata American Journal of Science s3 29 171 173 204 Bibcode 1885AmJS 29 173A doi 10 2475 ajs s3 29 171 173 ISSN 0002 9599 S2CID 219246354 a b Cope E D 1873 On the Short Footed Ungulata of the Eocene of Wyoming Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 13 90 38 74 Cope E D 1873 On Some of Prof Marsh s Criticisms The American Naturalist 7 5 290 299 doi 10 1086 271139 S2CID 85218504 Wheeler W H 1960 The uintatheres and the Cope Marsh war Science 131 3408 1171 1176 Bibcode 1960Sci 131 1171W doi 10 1126 science 131 3408 1171 PMID 17773922 Scott W B 1886 On some new forms of the Dinocerata Am Jour Sci 31 3 303 307 Bibcode 1886AmJS 31 303S doi 10 2475 ajs s3 31 184 303 S2CID 130191459 Paleobiology Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Further reading edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Uintatherium nbsp Paleontology portal Academy of Natural Sciences National Park Service Wood Horace Elmer 1923 The problem of the Uintatherium molars Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History v 48 article 18 Fossil Evidence Eocene Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Uintatherium amp oldid 1206942898, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
