Meniscotherium Temporal range: Early Eocene to Late Eocene
| |
---|---|
Skeleton | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Family: | †Phenacodontidae |
Subfamily: | †Meniscotheriinae |
Genus: | †Meniscotherium Cope, 1874 |
Species | |
|
Meniscotherium is an extinct genus of dog-sized mammal which lived 54–38 million years ago. It was a herbivore and had hooves. Fossils have been found in Utah, New Mexico. and Colorado. Many individuals have been found together, indicating that it lived in groups.[1]
Body mass in M. chamense is estimated to be 5–17 kg, making it about the size of a small dog.[2]
A 2014 cladistic analysis places it within stem perissodactyls.[3]