Astrapotherium
Extinct genus of mammals
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Astrapotherium ("lightning beast") is an extinct genus of large astrapotherian ungulate native to South America during the early-middle Miocene. It is the best known member of the group. The type species. A. magnum have been found in the Santa Cruz Formation in Argentina. Other fossils have been found in the Deseado, Sarmiento, and Aisol Formations of Argentina and Chile (Cura-Mallín Group).[2]
| Astrapotherium Temporal range: | |
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| Astrapotherium magnum skeleton, Field Museum of Natural History | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | †Astrapotheria |
| Family: | †Astrapotheriidae |
| Subfamily: | †Astrapotheriinae |
| Genus: | †Astrapotherium Burmeister, 1879 |
| Type species | |
| †Nesodon magnus Owen, 1853 | |
| Species | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Genus synonymy
Synonyms of A. burmeisteri
Synonyms of A. magnum
Synonyms of A. ruderarium
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Description
Astrapotherium had an elongated body, with a total length around 2.5 m (8.2 ft), a weight of nearly 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), and relatively short limbs.[3] Larger estimates suggest its body mass was up to 1,600–3,500 kilograms (3,500–7,700 lb).[4] It had small plantigrade feet, and the hind limbs were significantly weaker than the fore limbs. Its four canine teeth were elongated to form short tusks, and it had broad, protruding lower incisors, which likely ground against a horny pad in the upper jaw, as in many modern ruminants.[3]
Astrapotherium has been inferred to have had a tapir-like proboscis, based on its retracted narials and short upper jaw.[5]
Classification
Cladogram based in the phylogenetic analysis published by Vallejo-Pareja et al., 2015, showing the position of Astrapotherium:[6]
Paleobiology
The animal was probably at least partially aquatic, living in shallow water in a similar manner to a modern hippopotamus.[3]
