Adinotherium

{{Automatic taxobox

| name = Adinotheriumrange and species from Croft et al. (2004), p. 8; synonyms from McKenna and Bell (1997), p. 459.

| image = Adinotherium ferum.jpg

| image_caption = A. ferum skull at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin

| fossil_range = Mid-Late Miocene (Santacrucian-Huayquerian)
~{{fossil range|17.5|6.8}}

| taxon = Adinotherium

| authority = Ameghino 1887

| type_species = †Adinotherium ovinum

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision = * A. corriguenense {{small|Ameghino 1907}}

A. ferum {{small|Ameghino 1887}}
A. haplodontoides {{small|Ameghino 1891}}
A. karaikense
A. nitidum {{small|Ameghino 1887}}
A. ovinum {{small|(Owen 1846)}}
A. robustum {{small|Ameghino 1891}}
A. splendidum

| synonyms = * Phobereotherium {{small|Ameghino 1887}}

Noadinotherium {{small|Ameghino 1907}}

}}

Adinotherium (meaning "not terrible beast")Palmer (1904) p. 80. is an extinct genus of toxodontid, large bodied hoofed ungulates which inhabited South America during the Middle to Late Miocene, from 17.5 to 6.8 Ma and existed for approximately {{Mya|17.5-6.8|million years}}, Santacrucian to Huayquerian in the South American land mammal ages (SALMA). Fossils of Adinotherium have been found in the Santa Cruz and Ituzaingó Formations of Argentina and the Chucal and Río Frías Formations of Chile.[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=43391 Adinotherium] at Fossilworks.org

Description

{{Multiple image

| image1 = Analesdelmuseona39muse 0089.png

| image2 = Adinotherium ovinum skull cast (cropped).jpg

| align = left

| direction = horizontal

| footer = A. ovinum skull, right lateral and dorsal view

| total_width = 300

}}

The approximately {{convert|1.5|m|ft}} long animal, with an estimated {{convert|120|kg|lb}} body mass, looked like a smaller version of its rhinoceros-like relative Toxodon.{{cite web |url=http://prehistoric-fauna.com/publ/bestiarij/adinotherium_ferum/1-1-0-121 |title=Adinotherium ferum - Бестиарий - Доисторические животные - Prehistoric Fauna |website=prehistoric-fauna.com |access-date=26 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714134805/http://prehistoric-fauna.com/publ/bestiarij/adinotherium_ferum/1-1-0-121 |archive-date=14 July 2012 |url-status=dead}} Its front legs were somewhat longer than those of its relatives, making its hip and shoulder height about equal. A small horn atop Adinotherium's skull may have played a role in the mating season.{{cite book |editor=Palmer, D.|year=1999 |title= The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals|publisher= Marshall Editions|location=London|page= 253|isbn= 1-84028-152-9}}

{{clearleft}}File:Adinotherium ovinum.jpg

References

= Bibliography =

Croft, D.A., Flynn, J.J. and Wyss, A.R. 2004. Notoungulata and Litopterna of the Early Miocene Chucal Fauna, Northern Chile. Fieldiana Geology 50(1):1-52. [https://archive.org/details/notoungulatalito50crof]
McKenna, Malcolm C., and Bell, Susan K. 1997. Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level. Columbia University Press, New York, 631 pp. {{ISBN|0-231-11013-8}}
Palmer, T.S. 1904. Index Generum Mammalium: a List of the Genera and Families of Mammals. North American Fauna 23:1-984.