Archaeotherium听is an听entelodont which are听extinct members听of the artiodactyls (an order that includes today鈥檚 cattle, deer, and sheep)听that lived alongside rhinos and early horses on the floodplains of eastern Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Texas during late Eocene 鈥� Oligocene time (ca. 37 鈥� 23 million years ago).听听An adult听Archaeotherium听could reach over 6 feet (2 m) in length, with a large skull over 3 feet (1 m) long. Its long jaws (like the one shown here) and low, rounded cheek teeth suggest听Archaeotherium听was an omnivore,听as bunodont teeth typically suggest an omnivorous diet.听It may have used its听tusk-like canines to dig tubers and other forms of vegetation out of the ground.听However,听recent studies suggest it was a bone-crusher too.听Bones belonging to听the ancient camel,听Poebrotherium听were found from听the White River Formation in Wyoming听were听thought to be killed by听Archaeotherium听as punctures match the听premolars听of听Archaeotherium.听
Based on its size, body shape, teeth, and diet,听Archaeotherium听is often compared to today鈥檚 pigs, and in fact it has been popularly called the Giant Pig from Hell! However,听in 2008 and 2009, a study concluded the entelodonts are closely related to whales and hippos, thus forming the Whippomorpha (Cetancodontamorpha) clade.听Whales are evolved from artiodactyls, thus strengthening the relation between entelodonts.听These听recent studies suggest that听Archaeotherium听and entelodonts听probably听were not听a close cousin to today鈥檚 pigs at all. Many听Archaeotherium听skulls appear to exhibit injuries, so these large mammals are often interpreted as an argumentative bunch!
Catalog Number: UCM 20457
罢补虫辞苍辞尘测:听Archaeotherium
Location: Weld Co., ColoradoAge: Eocene,听Chadronian
Stratigraphy: White River Formation, Horsetail Creek Member听
Joeckel, R. 1990. A Functional Interpretation of the Masticatory System and Paleoecology of Entelodonts. Paleobiology 16:459鈥�482
O鈥橪eary, M. A. &听Gatesy, J. 2008. Impact of increased character sampling on the phylogeny of听Cetartiodactyla听(Mammalia): combined analysis including fossils.鈥�Cladistics鈥�24, 397-442.
Prothero, D., and S. Foss. 2007. The Evolution听Of听Artiodactyls. Johns Hopkins University Press, p. 126鈥�127
Spaulding, M., O鈥橪eary, M. A. &听Gatesy, J. 2009. Relationships of Cetacea (Artiodactyla) among mammals: increased听taxon听sampling alters interpretations of key fossils and character evolution.听PLoS听ONE 4(9): e7062.听doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.00070672
Sundell, K. A. 1999. Taphonomy of a multiple鈥疨oebrotherium鈥痥ill site 鈥� an鈥�Archaeotherium鈥痬eat cache.鈥�Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology鈥�19 (Supp. 3), 79A.