Moropus elatus at the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Perissodactyla
Suborder:
†Ancylopoda
Superfamily:
†Chalicotherioidea Gill, 1872
Families
Chalicotheriidae
Eomoropidae
Chalicotherioidea is an extinct superfamily of clawed perissodactyls (odd-toed ungulates) that lived from the early Eocene to the early Pleistocene subepochs.[1] Based on the fossil record they emerged and thrived largely in Eurasia, although specimens have been found in both Africa and North America. They were likely browsers that fed mainly on leaves, twigs, and other nonresistant vegetation. Many of the contained genera had derived specializations of the forelimb and manus that allowed the claws to be used as hooks for browsing and to be kept off of the ground while walking.[2] Chalicotheres lived primarily in forested areas. Size sexual dimorphism and morphological structures such as the domed skulls of Tylocephalonyx suggest agonistic behaviour in some sort of social setting.[2] They are related to modern day horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs, as well as the extinct brontotheres.[3]
Anisodon grande, formerly Chalicotherium grande.
^ abPaleoBiology Database: Chalicotherioidea, basic info
^ abJanis, Christine M.; Scott, Kathleen M.; Jacobs, Louis L., eds. (1998). Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America: Terrestrial carnivores, ungulates, and ungulatelike mammals. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-35519-3.
^Savage, RJG; Long, MR (1986). Mammal Evolution: an illustrated guide. New York: Facts on File. pp. 198–199. ISBN 978-0-8160-1194-0.
Chalicotherioidea is an extinct superfamily of clawed perissodactyls (odd-toed ungulates) that lived from the early Eocene to the early Pleistocene subepochs...
chalicotheres, a term which is also applied to the broader grouping of Chalicotherioidea. They are noted for their unusual morphology compared to other ungulates...
the progressive adjustment of the teeth for eating hard grasses. Chalicotherioidea represented another characteristic group, consisting of the families...
rest of Tapiromorpha, which includes Ancylopoda (lophiodontids and Chalicotherioidea) and Ceratomorpha (tapirs, rhinoceroses and their extinct relatives)...
phylogenetic studies on Indian fossil mammals. III – A classification of the Chalicotherioidea. May 8, 1935 American Museum Novitates nr 798, 56.9 (54). The American...
Litolophus is an extinct genus of odd-toed ungulate in the superfamily Chalicotherioidea. Litholophus is considered to be a basal member of its group, as the...
†Brontotherioidea Family †Brontotheriidae Family †Anchilophidae Superfamily †Chalicotherioidea Family †Eomoropidae Family †Chalicotheriidae Infraorder Tapiromorpha...
feet. The Eomoropidae is most likely a paraphyletic group within Chalicotherioidea. PaleoBiology Database: Eomoropidae, basic info Savage, RJG & Long...
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