Chalicotherium
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Chalicotherium Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Early Pliocene |
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| Fossil remains of a Chalicotherium | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Perissodactyla |
| Family: | †Chalicotheriidae |
| Genus: |
†Chalicotherium J. J. Kaup, 1833 |
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Chalicotherium (Ancient Greek χαλιξ/khalix, khalik-: pebble/gravel + θηρίον/thērion, diminutive of θηρ/thēr : beast) is a genus of extinct browsing odd-toed ungulates of the order Perissodactyla and family Chalicotheriidae, found in Europe, Africa, and Asia during the Late Oligocene to Lower Pliocene, living from 28.4—3.6 million years ago, existing for approximately 24.8 million years.
This animal would look much like other chalicotheriid species: an odd-looking herbivore with long clawed forelimbs and stouter weight bearing hindlimbs.
The type species, Chalicotherium goldfussi, from Miocene and Pliocene Europe, was described by Johann Jakob Kaup in 1833.
Chalicotherium, like many members of Perissodactyla, was adapted to browsing, though uniquely adapted to do so among its ungulate relatives. Its arms were long and heavily clawed, allowing them to walk on their knuckles only. The arms were used to reach for the branches of large trees and bring them close to its long head to strip them clean of leaves. The horse-like head itself shows adaptation to a diet of soft vegetation, since, as the animal reached sexual maturity, the incisors and upper canines were shed, suggesting that its muscular lips and the resulting gum pads were enough to crop fodder which was then processed by squarish, low-crowned molars.
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