Mesohippus

E901979

Mesohippus is an extinct three-toed early horse that lived during the Oligocene epoch and represents a key transitional form in equid evolution.

Jump to: Statements Referenced by

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf early horse
equid relative
extinct genus
perissodactyl
prehistoric mammal
approximateHeightAtShoulder about 60 centimeters
bodySizeComparedToModernHorse smaller
brainSizeComparedToEarlierHorses larger
class Mammalia
diet herbivorous
evolutionaryPosition more advanced than Hyracotherium
more primitive than Miohippus
evolutionarySignificance key transitional form in horse evolution
family Equidae NERFINISHED
feedingType browser
firstAppearance late Eocene
fossilRecordRegion Great Plains NERFINISHED
Western United States NERFINISHED
foundIn North America NERFINISHED
geologicalTimeRange approximately 37 to 30 million years ago
habitat forested environments
woodlands
hasSpecies Mesohippus bairdi NERFINISHED
Mesohippus hypostylus NERFINISHED
Mesohippus westoni NERFINISHED
isExtinct true
kingdom Animalia
lastAppearance late Oligocene
limbAdaptation adapted for faster running than earlier horses
livedDuring Oligocene epoch NERFINISHED
locomotion cursorial
mainWeightBearingToe middle toe
namedBy Othniel Charles Marsh NERFINISHED
notableFossilSite Nebraska NERFINISHED
South Dakota NERFINISHED
order Perissodactyla NERFINISHED
phylum Chordata
relatedTo Hyracotherium NERFINISHED
Miohippus NERFINISHED
roleInPaleontology important for understanding equid limb evolution GENERATED
skullCharacteristic more elongated skull
snoutLengthComparedToEarlierHorses longer
subfamily Anchitheriinae NERFINISHED
taxonRank genus
toeCountForelimb three
toeCountHindlimb three
toothAdaptation adapted for browsing soft vegetation
toothType low-crowned teeth
typeSpecies Mesohippus bairdi NERFINISHED
yearDescribed 1875

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Equidae containsExtinctGenera Mesohippus