Entelodon
{{Short description|Extinct genus of mammals}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = {{Fossilrange|37.2|28.4}}Houldjinian–Rupelian
| image = Entelodon magnus 2 canines MHNT.PAL.2013.0.1016.1-2.jpg
| image_caption = Two mandibular canines of E. magnus at the MHNT
| taxon = Entelodon
| type_species_authority = Aymard, 1846
| authority = Aymard, 1846
| type_species = †Entelodon magnus
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = * †E. magnus (type species)Aymard, 1846
- †E. ronzonii Aymard, 1846
- †E. aymardi (Pomel, 1853)
- †E. verdeaui (Delfortrie, 1874)
- †E. deguilhemi Repelin, 1918
- †E. antiquus Repelin, 1919
- †E. dirus Matthew and Granger, 1923
- †E. gobiensis (Trofimov, 1952)
- †E. major (Biriukov, 1961)
| synonyms = * Elotherium Pommel, 1847
}}
Entelodon (meaning 'complete teeth', from Ancient Greek {{lang|grc|ἐντελής}} entelēs 'complete' and {{lang|grc|ὀδών}} odōn 'tooth', referring to its "complete" eutherian dentition{{Cite book|last=Foss|first=Scott E.|title=The Evolution of Artiodactyls|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press|year=2007|isbn=9780801887352|editor-last=Prothero|editor-first=Donald R.|location=Baltimore|pages=120–129|chapter=Family Entelodontidae|editor-last2=Foss|editor-first2=Scott E.}}), formerly called Elotherium, is an extinct genus of entelodont artiodactyl endemic to Eurasia. Fossils of species are found in Paleogene strata ranging in age from the Houldjinian (37.2–33.9 mya) until the Rupelian epoch of the early Oligocene (33.9–28.4 mya).[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=42369 PaleoBiology Database: Entelodon, basic info]
Taxonomy
It is one of four entelodont genera native to Eurasia, the other three being the primitive Eoentelodon of late Eocene China, Proentelodon of middle Eocene Mongolia and the gigantic Paraentelodon of mid-to-late Oligocene Central Asia.
Description
File:Size comparison between Entelodon deguilhemi and a human male.png
Entelodon was a fairly typical entelodont, with a large, bulky body, slender legs, and a long snout.{{Cite book|last=Foss|first=Scott E.|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/304715809|title=Systematics and Paleobiology of the Entelodontidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla)|publisher=Ph.D Dissertation. Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University|year=2001|location=DeKalb, Illinois|id={{ProQuest|304715809}}}}{{Cite journal|last=Scott|first=W. B.|date=1898|title=The Osteology of Elotherium|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1005496|journal=Transactions of the American Philosophical Society|volume=19|issue=3|pages=273–324|doi=10.2307/1005496|issn=0065-9746|jstor=1005496|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite journal|last=Marsh|first=O. C.|date=1894-05-01|title=Restoration of Elotherium|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/124374#page/439/mode/1up|journal=American Journal of Science|volume=s3-47|issue=281|pages=407–408|doi=10.2475/ajs.s3-47.281.407|bibcode=1894AmJS...47..407M|s2cid=130683520|issn=0002-9599}}
Like other entelodonts, Entelodon had complete eutherian dentition (3 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars, and 3 molars per quadrant). It had only two toes on each foot, and its legs were built for fast running.Agustí, J and Antón, M (2002). Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids: 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe. Retrieved from [https://books.google.com/books?id=Pqd4vTcoWMsC&dq=entelodon&pg=PA75 Google Books] Its long, wide head was supported by a robust, short neck, and its cheekbones were greatly enlarged and protruded noticeably from the sides of the head.{{Cite journal|jstor = 2400970|title = A Functional Interpretation of the Masticatory System and Paleoecology of Entelodonts|last1 = Joeckel|first1 = R. M.|journal = Paleobiology|year = 1990|volume = 16|issue = 4|pages = 459–482|doi = 10.1017/S0094837300010198| bibcode=1990Pbio...16..459J }} Though it was more closely related to hippos and whales than pigs, its skull was generally pig-like. It is presumed to have been an omnivore.
European species of Entelodon were around {{convert|1.35|m}} tall at the shoulders, with a {{convert|65|cm}} skull. Entelodon major, known from the Kutanbulak Formation in Kazakhstan was around {{convert|1.70|m}} tall at the shoulders, with an {{convert|80|cm}} skull, making it one of the largest entelodonts.
Paleoecology
File:Entelodon.jpg by Charles R. Knight, 1886]]
Based on its dental microwear, E. magnus had an omnivorous diet comparable to that of the modern wild boar.{{Cite journal |last=Rivals |first=Florent |last2=Belyaev |first2=Ruslan I. |last3=Basova |first3=Vera B. |last4=Prilepskaya |first4=Natalya E. |date=1 February 2023 |title=Hogs, hippos or bears? Paleodiet of European Oligocene anthracotheres and entelodonts |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003101822200534X |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |language=en |volume=611 |pages=111363 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111363 |access-date=14 April 2025 |via=Elsevier Science Direct|doi-access=free }}
Entelodon remains are primarily known from Europe,{{Cite journal|last=Aymard|first=A.|date=1846|title=Essai monographique sur un nouveau genre de mammifere' fossile trouve dans la Haute-Loire, et nomme Entelodon|journal=Annales de la Société d'Agriculture, Sciences, Arts et Commerce du Puy|volume=12|pages=227–267}}{{Cite journal|last=Pomel|first=A.|date=1847|title=Note sur un nouveau genre de pachydermes du bassin de la Gironde (Elotherium magnum)|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/240488#page/1115/mode/1up|journal=Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France|volume=2|issue=4|pages=1083–1085}}{{Cite journal|last=Pomel|first=A.|date=1847|title=Sur un nouveau genre de Pachydermes fossiles (Elotherium) voisin des Hippopotames|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89048211742&view=1up&seq=781&skin=2021|journal=Archives des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles|volume=5|pages=307–308}} although fossils have also been found in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and even as far east as Japan.{{Cite journal |last1=Lucas |first1=Spencer G. |last2=Emry |first2=Robert J. |date=January 1996 |title=Late Eocene entelodonts (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) from Inner Mongolia, China |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283797868 |journal=Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington |volume=109 |issue=2 |pages=397–405 |via=ResearchGate}}{{Cite journal |last1=Tsubamoto |first1=Takehisa |last2=Koda |first2=Yoshiki |last3=Hasegawa |first3=Yoshikazu |last4=Nabana |first4=Satoshi |last5=Tomida |first5=Yukimitsu |date=August 2015 |title=Paleogene mammals from the Iwaki Formation in Japan: Their implications for the geologic age and paleobiogeography of this formation |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2015.03.049 |journal=Journal of Asian Earth Sciences |volume=108 |pages=18–32 |doi=10.1016/j.jseaes.2015.03.049 |bibcode=2015JAESc.108...18T |issn=1367-9120|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last1=Ducrocq |first1=Stéphane |last2=Chaimanee |first2=Yaowalak |last3=Jaeger |first3=Jean-Jacques |date=March 2019 |title=First record of Entelodontidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from the late Eocene of Southeast Asia |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crpv.2018.10.001 |journal=Comptes Rendus Palevol |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=186–190 |doi=10.1016/j.crpv.2018.10.001 |bibcode=2019CRPal..18..186D |issn=1631-0683}}
Entelodon magnus populated a broad swath of Europe, with remains found in Spain, Germany, France, Romania, and the Caucasus. Extensive remains of Entelodon deguilhemi were uncovered in Vayres-sur-Essonne, France.[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=95924 Paleobiology Database:Entelodon deguilhemi] The Chinese Entelodon dirus is known from a single tooth discovered in Nei Mongol.[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=101337 Paleobiology Database:Entelodon dirus]
See also
- {{portal-inline|Paleontology}}
References
{{Wikispecies|Entelodon}}
{{Commons category|Entelodon}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q133847}}
Category:Oligocene Artiodactyla
Category:Rupelian genus extinctions
Category:Oligocene mammals of Asia
Category:Oligocene mammals of Europe