Bestiary - Доисторические животные

Stylinodon

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Panthera tigris trinilensis

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Pantolambda

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Phenacodus primaevus

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Coryphodon

Coryphodons – species of Amblypoda, widespread in the lower Eocene, at the end of which they became extinct.
Genus Coryphodon developed in Asia in the early Eocene epoch and then migrated to the territory of modern North America where it probably forced out the native pantodonte Barylambda.
Coryphodon’s hight was about one meter, and its weight about 500 kg. They were solid, strong built animals with mighty neck musculature. Both sexes had large canines of which the top ones were hypertrophied. Male species’ canines were larger, which was characteristic for pantodontes. The scull had explicit sagittal crest to which mighty temporal muscles were attached. Coryphondon’s limbs were rather strong, but short. Each of the limbs had five fingers. Finger phalanxes ended in small hooves. Coryphondon’s brain was one of the relatively smallest among known mammals; their brain mass was only about 90 kg. Judging by how their bodies were built, they were quite sluggish and clumsy animals. Probably, they preferred living in forests or close to water. Their diet consisted of leaves, young sprouts, flowers and various swamp vegetation.
Amblypodas as animals with very small brain and rather imperfectly built teeth and limbs could not coexist for a long time with new, more progressive Ungulata that shortly took their place.

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Pakicetus

Pakicetus is a genus of extinct predator mammal which belonged to suborder Achaeoceti. It is the most ancient of presently-known direct ancestors of modern-day whales that lived approximately 48 mln years ago and adjusted to searching for food under water. It was endemic to the territory of present-day Pakistan.
This prehistoric whale remained semi-aquatic as the modern-day otter. Its ear started to adapt to hearing underwater but still could not endure high pressure. It had massive jaws revealing its predatory nature, closely set eyes, and muscular tail. Its sharp teeth were suited to grasp slimy fish.
Its exterior was reminiscent of that of a dog, but with hooves on fingers and a long thin tail; it had a skeleton suited for terrestrial life no worse than of any other Ungulata. Probably, it had webs between fingers. Its main peculiarity was that its malleolar bones were similar to those of pigs, sheep and hippos. Its skull on the other hand was very similar to those of whales.
The earliest ancestors of all Ungulata mammals were probably partly carnivorous or omnivorous. The ancestors of whales diverged from Artiodactyla and transferred to the aquatic lifestyle already after Artiodactyla themselves diverged from their common ancestors with mesonychids.

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Kvabebihyrax kachethicus

Kvabebihyrax – a genus of very large fossils of Pliohyracidae family. They lived only in Transcaucasia (Eastern Georgia) in the late Pliocene.
They were distinguished by their large size: the length of their massive bodies reached 1.5 m.
Their eye sockets were small, considerably protruding over the temple and looking sideways, and at the same time set out far beyond the skull.
Judging by the relatively short and very high nasal bones, as well as by the large nasal incisure, notably stretching backwards, Kvabebihyrax could have a small proboscis. Possibly, the noted original combination of characteristics of Kvabebihyrax points to its adaptation to river and lakes habitat, among swampy brushwood of forest thickets.
The protruding of Kvabebihyrax’ eye sockets over the temple, resembling that of hippopotamus, indicates the ability of Kvabebihyrax to hide underwater. Probably, in water Kvabebihyax searched for shelter in moments of danger.

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Palaeoloxodon antiquus

Palaeoloxodon antiquus – forest straight-tusked elephant, the largest species that survived in Europe until the end of Pleistocene.
It also lived in Asia and Africa in interglacial periods. Palaeoloxodon was a large animal exceeding mammoth in size: its shoulder height reached up to 4.3 m, and weight – up to 10 tons. Its tusks were relatively straight and often exceeded 3 m in length.
It lived in forests and sparse growths of trees feeding mostly on soft, easily digestible food like tree leaves and grass. At the times of glaciers, forest elephants lived in the south following the movement of forest zone. During interglacial periods, they migrated further north. Thus, throughout Pleistocene, Palaeoloxodon migrated and the area of its habitat changed considerably.
Hunting by humans probably played the most significant role in their extinction.

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Bramatherium perimense

Bramatherium is a species of Sivatheria with very unusual horns. Sivatheria(Sivatherium) normally developed very large rear ossicones, while Bramatheria – frontal. Most probably, these horns had a demonstration function; however, it is possible that they were used in males’ duels, with their solid bases and rear pair directed sideways.
Bramatheria were very large Ungulata reaching 2.5 m in withers height, with relatively short legs and neck. They inhabited dry savannas and sparse forests, feeding on branches and leaves of trees and bushes.

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Ursus spelaeus

Cave bear is an extinct species of bear that lived in Eurasia in the middle and late Pleistocene and got extinct approximately 15,000 years ago. Its specific name (Lat. spelaeus) comes from the fact that its bones are often found in caves. The body length of this bear reached 2.7-3.5 m, which is 30% longer than contemporary brown bear. The frontal part of its body was more developed than the rear, its legs were short and strong, and its head – massive. The skull of cave bear differs from that of brown bear by its tight-bend temple, as well as the absence of frontal premolar teeth.
Probably, cave bears were vegetarian, and their ration consisted of grass and honey. However, in winter, when it was cold, cave bear could hunt Ungulata or other animals.
Cave bear inhabited only Eurasia, where it formed a number of geographic races that differed in size. The cause of its extinction was the climate change that occurred at the end of Würm glacial period, when forest areas decreased dramatically, leaving cave bear without food. However, hunting by ancient humans also played an important part in its extinction.

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