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Olbitherium Temporal range: Early Eocene 55–48 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Perissodactyla
Genus:	†Olbitherium Tong et al., 2004
Type species
Olbitherium millenariusum

Olbitherium is an extinct mammal of the order Perissodactyla (an early ancestor of modern-day horses, rhinos, and tapirs) from the early Eocene epoch of Shandong, China.

Description and classification

Olbitherium was originally described from lower and upper jaw fragments and several teeth found in the Wutu Formation of Shandong Province. The limited material of Olbitherium shares similarities with several ungulate groups. According to Tong et al., the upper cheek teeth show similarities to early Perissodactyls, as well as the hyracoid Seggeurius, while the lower cheek teeth more closely resemble those of phenacodontids, such as Ectocion, Phenacodus, and Copecion. Due to these conflicting similarities, Tong et al. placed Olbitherium as incertae sedis within the Phenacodonta, a grouping of Perissodactyla, "Condylarthra", and Hyracoidea in McKenna's 1975 classification, and suggested that Olbitherium represents an intermediate stage in the evolution of perissodactyls from Phenacodus-like ancestors. In 2010, a skull and post-cranial remains were described, and Olbitherium was assigned to the Perissodactyla, closely related to basal members of the extinct family Isectolophidae such as Homogalax and Cardiolophus.

See also

• Evolution of horses

References

1. ^ Y.-S. Tong; J.-W. Wang; J. Meng (2004). "Olbitherium millenariusum, a new perissodactyl-like archaic ungulate (Mammalia) from the Early Eocene Wutu Formation, Shandong". Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 42 (1): 27–38.
2. Smith, T.; Missiaen, P. & Li, C.-S (2010). "A new specimen of the enigmatic perissodactyl-like archaic ungulate mammal Olbitherium from the Early Eocene of Wutu coal mine, Shandong province, China". Abstract: Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association.

v t e Perissodactyla
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla
Perissodactyla Incertae sedis †Ghazijhippus †Mesolambdolophus †Olbitherium †Anthracobunia Radinskya †Anthracobunidae Anthracobune Hsanotherium Jozaria Obergfellia †Cambaytheriidae Cambaytherium Kalitherium Nakusia Perissobune †Brontotheriidae See Brontotheriidae Equoidea †Cymbalophus †Hallensia †Pliolophus †Systemodon Equidae See Equidae †Palaeotheriidae †Pachynolophinae Anchilophus Bepitherium Eurohippus Hyracotherium Lijiangia Lophiohippus Lophiotherium Metanchilophus Orolophus Pachynolophus Paranchilophus Propalaeotherium Qianohippus †Palaeotheriinae Cantabrotherium Iberolophus Idiodontherium Leptolophus Mekodontherium Metaplagiolophus Palaeotherium Paraplagiolophus Plagiolophus Pseudopalaeotherium †Hyopsodontidae? Aletodon Chacomylus Dorraletes Haplaletes Haplomylus Hyopsodus Litomylus Louisina Monshyus Paratricuspiodon Paschatherium Phenacodaptes Tricuspiodon †Phenacodontidae? Tetraclaenodon †Meniscotheriinae Ectocion Meniscotherium †Phenacodontinae Almogaver Copecion Eodesmatodon Lophocion Phenacodus Tapiromorpha See below↓
Tapiromorpha Incertae sedis †Cambaylophus †Skopaiolophus †Isectolophidae Chowliia Gandheralophus Karagalax Meridiolophus Orientolophus Sastrilophus †Homogalaxinae Homogalax †Isectolophinae Isectolophus Schizolophodon †Ancylopoda See Ancylopoda Ceratomorpha Tapiroidea †Deperetellidae Bahinolophus Deperetella Irenolophus Teleolophus †Helaletidae Colodon Dilophodon Helaletes Heptodon Heteraletes Paracolodon Plesiocolopirus Thuliadanta? Vastanolophus Tapiridae †Eotapirus †Miotapirus †Nexuotapirus †Paratapirus †Plesiotapirus †Protapirus †Tapiravus Tapirus Rhinocerotoidea See below↓
Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotoidea sensu lato †Breviodon †Fouchia †Minchenoletes †Siamolophus †Triplopus †Yimengia †Indolophidae Indolophus Rhinocerotoidea sensu stricto †Selenaletes †Hyrachyidae Hyrachyus †Eggysodontidae Allacerops Eggysodon Guangnanodon Proeggysodon †Hyracodontidae Ardynia Ephyrachyus Epitriplophus Hyracodon Prohyracodon Rhodopagus Triplopides †Amynodontidae Amynodontopsis Armania Cadurcotherium Caenolophus Huananodon Hypsamynodon Procadurcodon Rostriamynodon Teilhardia †Amynodontinae Amynodon †Cadurcodontini Cadurcodon Lushiamynodon Sharamynodon Sianodon †Metamynodontini Gigantamynodon Megalamynodon Metamynodon Paramynodon Zaisanamynodon †Paraceratheriidae †Forstercooperiinae Forstercooperia Gobicerops Pappaceras †Paraceratheriinae Aralotherium Dzungarotherium Juxia Paraceratherium Urtinotherium Rhinocerotidae See below↓
Rhinocerotidae Rhinocerotidae †Amphicaenopus †Epiaceratherium †Guixia †Teletaceras †Uintaceras †Woodoceras †Aceratheriinae Aceratherium Acerorhinus Alicornops Aphelops Chilotheridium Chilotherium Floridaceras Galushaceras Hoploaceratherium Mesaceratherium Peraceras Persiatherium Plesiaceratherium Ronzotherium Shansirhinus Sinorhinus Subchilotherium †Elasmotheriinae Gulfoceras Victoriaceros †Diceratheriini Diceratherium Penetrigonias Skinneroceras Subhyracodon Trigonias †Elasmotheriini Bugtirhinus Caementodon Elasmotherium Hispanotherium Iranotherium Kenyatherium Meninatherium Menoceras Ninxiatherium Ningxiatherium Ougandatherium Parelasmotherium Procoelodonta Sinotherium Tongxinotherium Rhinocerotinae †Dromoceratherium †Lartetotherium †Molassitherium †Protaceratherium †Teleoceratini Aprotodon Brachydiceratherium Brachypotherium Diaceratherium Prosantorhinus Shennongtherium Teleoceras Rhinocerotina Dicerorhinini †Coelodonta Dicerorhinus †Dihoplus †Pliorhinus †Stephanorhinus Dicerotini Ceratotherium Diceros †Miodiceros †Paradiceros Rhinocerotini †Gaindatherium †Nesorhinus Rhinoceros †Rusingaceros

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