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Protohippus

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Extinct genus of mammals

Protohippus
Temporal range: Clarendonian-Hemphillian
~13.6–5.3 Ma PreꞒ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Protohippus simus skeleton
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Equidae
Subfamily: Equinae
Tribe: Equini
Genus: Protohippus
Leidy, 1858
Type species
Equus (Protohippus) perditus
Leidy, 1858

Protohippus is an extinct three-toed genus of horse. It was roughly the size of a modern donkey. Fossil evidence suggests that it lived during the Late Miocene (Clarendonian to Hemphillian), from about 13.6 Ma to 5.3 Ma.

Analysis of Protohippus' skull and teeth suggests that it is most closely related to the genus Calippus.

FetusSkullP. simus. This animal died from a breech birth, where the hind feet instead of the head of the foal emerges first. As the foal did not fully emerge, infection may have ensued, killing the mother. From Cherry County, Nebraska. At the AMNH.
Protohippus foot.

Species

  • P. vetus
  • P. perditus
  • P. supremus (also P. simus)
  • P. gidleyi

See also

References

  1. Leidy, Joseph (1858). "Notice of Remains of Extinct Vertebrata, from the Valley of the Niobrara River, collected during the Exploring Expedition of 1857, in Nebraska, under the command of Lieut. G. K. Warren, U. S. Top. Eng., by Dr. F. V. Hayden, Geologist to the Expedition". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 10: 20–29. JSTOR 4059296.
  2. Leidy, Joseph (1869). "The Extinct Mammalian Fauna of Dakota and Nebraska: Including an Account of Some Allied Forms from Other Localities, Together with a Synopsis of the Mammalian Remains of North America". Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Ser. 2. 7: 275–279, 401.
  3. MacFadden, Bruce J.; Dobie, James L. (1998). "Late Miocene Three-Toed Horse Protohippus (Mammalia, Equidae) from Southern Alabama". Journal of Paleontology. 72 (1): 149–152. Bibcode:1998JPal...72..149M. doi:10.1017/S0022336000024082. JSTOR 1306685. S2CID 132815106.
  4. ^ Hulbert, Richard C. Jr. (1988). "Calippus and Protohippus (Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Equidae) from the Miocene (Barstovian-Early Hemphillian) of the Gulf Coastal Plain" (PDF). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum Biological Sciences. 32 (3): 221–340.
Perissodactyla
Perissodactyla
Incertae sedis
Anthracobunia
Anthracobunidae
Cambaytheriidae
Brontotheriidae
Equoidea
Equidae
Palaeotheriidae
Pachynolophinae
Palaeotheriinae
Hyopsodontidae?
Phenacodontidae?
Meniscotheriinae
Phenacodontinae
Tapiromorpha
    • See below↓
Palaeotherium medium

Hyopsodus sp.

Meniscotherium chamense
Tapiromorpha
Incertae sedis
Isectolophidae
Homogalaxinae
Isectolophinae
Ancylopoda
Ceratomorpha
Tapiroidea
Deperetellidae
Helaletidae
Tapiridae
Rhinocerotoidea
    • See below↓
Heptodon posticus Tapirus augustus
Rhinocerotoidea
Rhinocerotoidea sensu lato
Indolophidae
Rhinocerotoidea
sensu stricto
Hyrachyidae
Eggysodontidae
Hyracodontidae
Amynodontidae
Amynodontinae
Cadurcodontini
Metamynodontini
Paraceratheriidae
Forstercooperiinae
Paraceratheriinae
Rhinocerotidae
    • See below↓
Hyracodon nebraskensis Paraceratherium transouralicum
Rhinocerotidae
Rhinocerotidae
Aceratheriinae
Elasmotheriinae
Diceratheriini
Elasmotheriini
Rhinocerotinae
Teleoceratini
Rhinocerotina
Dicerorhinini
Dicerotini
Rhinocerotini
Coelodonta antiquatis Elasmotherium caucasicum
Extinct genera of Equidae (Horse family), arranged by subfamily
Basal forms
Anchitheriinae
Equinae
Hipparionini
Equini
Taxon identifiers
Protohippus
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