Жоғалған Uintatherium сүтқоректісі

Extinct genus of mammals

Uintatherium ("Beast of the Uinta Mountains") is an extinct genus of herbivorous dinoceratan mammal that lived during the Eocene epoch. Two species are currently recognized: U. anceps from the United States during the Early to Middle Eocene (56–38 million years ago) and U. insperatus of Middle to Late Eocene (48–34 million years ago) China.

Uintatherium was a large browsing animal. With a skull long, tall at the shoulder, body length of about and a weight up to 2 tonnes, it was similar to today's rhinoceros, both in size and in shape. Its legs were robust to sustain the weight of the animal and were equipped with hooves. Moreover, a Uintatherium's sternum was made up of horizontal segments, unlike today's rhinos, which have compressed vertical segments.

Its most unusual feature was the skull, which was large and strongly built, but simultaneously flat and concave: this feature is rare and is found in no other known mammal except some brontotheres. The cranial cavity was exceptionally small because the walls of the cranium were exceedingly thick. The cranium was lightened by several sinuses, like those in an elephant's skull. The teeth were larger in males than in females. The upper canine teeth were large and may have been formidable defensive weapons; The specimen (YPM 11030) only consisted of several skull pieces, including the right parietal horn, and fragmentary postcrania. Another specimen discovered by Leidy's crews consisting of a canine was named Uintamastix atrox and was thought to have been a saber toothed and carnivorous. and Marsh dubbed Tinoceras. Due to Uintatherium being named first, Cope and Marsh's genera are synonymous with Uintatherium. the latter is currently considered separate from Uintatherium. Because of Cope and Marsh's rivalry, the two would often publish scathing criticisms of each other's work, stating their respective genera were valid. A new species was named based on almost intact skull, U. insperatus, found in the lower part of the Lushi Formation of the Lushi Basin in Henan Province, China.