Mesohippus

E901979

Mesohippus is an extinct three-toed early horse that lived during the Oligocene epoch and represents a key transitional form in equid evolution.

All labels observed (4)

Label Occurrences
Mesohippus bairdi 2
Mesohippus canonical 1
Mesohippus hypostylus 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf early horse
equid relative
extinct genus
perissodactyl
prehistoric mammal
approximateHeightAtShoulder about 60 centimeters
bodySizeComparedToModernHorse smaller
brainSizeComparedToEarlierHorses larger
class Mammalia
diet herbivorous
evolutionaryPosition more advanced than Hyracotherium
more primitive than Miohippus
evolutionarySignificance key transitional form in horse evolution
family Equidae
feedingType browser
firstAppearance late Eocene
fossilRecordRegion Great Plains
Western United States
foundIn North America
geologicalTimeRange approximately 37 to 30 million years ago
habitat forested environments
woodlands
hasSpecies Mesohippus bairdi
linked to: Mesohippus

Mesohippus hypostylus
linked to: Mesohippus

Mesohippus westoni
linked to: Mesohippus
isExtinct true
kingdom Animalia
lastAppearance late Oligocene
limbAdaptation adapted for faster running than earlier horses
livedDuring Oligocene epoch
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
locomotion cursorial
mainWeightBearingToe middle toe
namedBy Othniel Charles Marsh
notableFossilSite Nebraska
South Dakota
order Perissodactyla
phylum Chordata
relatedTo Hyracotherium
Miohippus
roleInPaleontology important for understanding equid limb evolution
skullCharacteristic more elongated skull
snoutLengthComparedToEarlierHorses longer
subfamily Anchitheriinae
taxonRank genus
toeCountForelimb three
toeCountHindlimb three
toothAdaptation adapted for browsing soft vegetation
toothType low-crowned teeth
typeSpecies Mesohippus bairdi
linked to: Mesohippus
yearDescribed 1875

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Equidae containsExtinctGenera Mesohippus
Mesohippus typeSpecies Mesohippus bairdi
linked to: Mesohippus
Mesohippus hasSpecies Mesohippus bairdi
linked to: Mesohippus
Mesohippus hasSpecies Mesohippus westoni
linked to: Mesohippus
Mesohippus hasSpecies Mesohippus hypostylus
linked to: Mesohippus