Uintaceras
Extinct genus of rhinoceros
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uintaceras is an extinct genus of medium-sized early rhinocerotoids that lived in North America (Wyoming and Utah) during the Middle Eocene, with only the type species U. radinskyi, named in 1997, currently contained within the genus.[1][2] Traditionally considered the oldest and most primitive species of the Rhinocerotidae, it may instead have been a close relative of the Asian Paraceratheriidae.[3] The dubious species Forstercooperia (Hyrachyus) grandis (Radinsky, 1967; Peterson, 1919)[4][5] is also possibly the same animal as Uintaceras,[2][6] although the Asian material of F. grandis was assignable to Forstercooperia confluens.
| Uintaceras Temporal range: Middle Eocene, | |
|---|---|
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| Restoration | |
 | |
| Holotype jaw of the possible synonym Forstercooperia (Hyrachyus) grandis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Perissodactyla |
| Superfamily: | Rhinocerotoidea |
| Genus: | †Uintaceras Holbrook & Lucas, 1997 |
| Species: | †U. radinskyi |
| Binomial name | |
| †Uintaceras radinskyi Holbrook & Lucas, 1997 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Uintaceras weighed about 220 kilograms (490 lb) when fully grown.[citation needed] It was a relatively slender animal and Uintaceras resembled a typical hyracodontid (e.g. Hyracodon), but differed from the hyracodonts due to the presence of a primitive four-fingered hand and a number of other features of the structure of the legs, which were clearly not intended for fast and long running.[6]
