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Megalohyrax
Temporal range: Lower Oligocene
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Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Hyracoidea
Family:
†Pliohyracidae
Subfamily:
†Saghatheriinae
Genus:
†Megalohyrax

Andrews, 1903
Species:
M. lavocati
Binomial name
Megalohyrax eocaenus
Andrews, 1903
Synonyms

Mixohyrax Schlosser, 1910

Megalohyrax is an extinct hyrax-grouped genus of herbivorous mammal that lived during the Miocene, Oligocene, and Eocene, about 55-11 million years ago. Its fossils have been found in Africa and in Asia Minor.[1]

Description

This animal was very different from the current hyraxes and much larger, generally reaching the size of a tapir[2][3] and sometimes exceeding 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) in length. The legs were strong and the body very massive. The skull was long and low, unlike that of today's hyraxes, and could reach 391 mm (15.4 in) in length.[4] Length of upper premolars and molars is 75 mm (3.0 in) and 86 mm (3.4 in), respectively.[5] The dental formula of Megalohyrax was composed of three incisors, one canine, four premolars and three molars. It likely had an eustachian tube.[4]

Classification and habitats

It was first described by Andrews in 1903. The type species is Megalohyrax eocaenus, was found in the El Fayum area in Egypt. Other fossils attributed to this kind have been found in Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Fossilworks: Megalohyrax". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. ^ Donald R. Prothero; Robert M. Schoch (1989). The Evolution of Perissodactyls. Oxford University Press. p. 65. ISBN 978-0-19-506039-3. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  3. ^ Kenneth D. Rose (September 26, 2006). The Beginning of the Age of Mammals. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-8018-8472-6. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b J. G. M. Thewissen; E. L. Simons (2001). "Skull of Megalohyrax eocaenus (Hyracoidea, Mammalia) from the Oligocene of Egypt". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 21 (1): 98–106. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2001)021[0098:SOMEHM]2.0.CO;2. JSTOR 4524175. S2CID 86063305.
  5. ^ Proceedings of the General Meetings for Scientific Business of the Zoological Society of London. Zoological Society of London. 1921. p. 840. Retrieved 20 September 2022.


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