Name:
Astrapotherium
(Great lightning beast).
Phonetic: As-trah-po-fee-ree-um.
Named By: Hermann Burmeister - 1879.
Synonyms: Listriotherium,
Mesembriotherium,
Xylotherium.
Classification: Chordata, Mammalia,
Astrapotheria, Astrapotheriidae.
Species: A. magnum (type), A.
burmeisteri, A. guillei, A. ruderarium.
Diet: Herbivore.
Size: About 2.5 meters long.
Known locations: South America.
Time period: Early Miocene.
Fossil representation: Well preserved remains.
Astrapotherium
is noted for having high nostrils, something that has led to the idea
that a great amount of soft tissue was present upon this part of the
head. The exact kind of tissue however is still unknown, with
speculation that it could have been some kind of short trunk or
prehensile lip, or possibly an inflated nasal area. Other features
include four enlarged canine teeth that grew to form tusks that
probably protruded from the mouth when it was closed. Additionally
the incisors of the lower jaw grew large and possibly connected with a
tough pad in the upper jaw. The hind quarters also have a
surprisingly light build for such a large animal, indicating that
they were weak.
Altogether
these things could
point towards Astrapotherium being a semi aquatic
animal that foraged
around wetlands and swamps. In these habitats water buoyancy would
support the body weight, removing the need for Astrapotherium
to
have strong supporting limbs. The tusk-like canines would also be
capable of root up plants while the incisors could scoop plants from
the water. The high nostrils of the skull would have either made it
easier for Astrapotherium to still breathe as it
fed in the water,
perhaps even being so well developed into a trunk or lip to help
manipulate food into the mouth.
Further reading
- Nuevos restos de mam�feros f�siles descubiertos por Carlos Ameghino
en el Eoceno inferior de la Patagonia austral. – Especies nuevas,
adiciones y correcciones [New remains of fossil mammals discovered by
Carlos Ameghino in the lower Eocene of southern Patagonia. – New
species, additions, and corrections]. - Revista Argentina de Historia
Natural 1:289-328. F. Ameghino - 1891.
- Premi�re contribution � la connaissance de la fauna mammalogique des
couches � Colpodon [First contribution to the knowledge of the
mammalian fauna of the Colopdon Beds]. - Boletin de la Academia
Nacional de Ciencias de C�rdoba 17:71-141. - F. Ameghino - 1902.
- Astrapotherium from the Middle Miocene Coll�n Cura Formation and the
decline of astrapotheres in southern South America. - Ameghiniana. -
Alejandro Kramarz, Alberto Garrido, Mariano Bond - 2019.
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