Coryphodon

Two Coryphodon

• Greenland

Coryphodon is an extinct mammal that lived from the late Paleocene to early Eocene, ie around 59-51 million years ago. The species was described in 1845 by Richard Owen.

Features

Coryphodon reached a live weight of half a ton and about one meter shoulder height. The body length reaching up to 2.25 meters. At the molars were recognized their herbivore diet. The body was barrel-shaped, the legs, however, relatively short and stocky. The males had " fangs " that are well been used in fighting rivals. It is interesting that Coryphodon in relation to body had the smallest brain of all mammals. It weighed 90 grams and therefore made ​​0.018 % of body weight from.

Way of life

Due to the relatively clumsy physique a semi - aquatic lifestyle is very likely. It probably ate flowers and water plants. Coryphodons natural enemies were carnivore Cimolesta. It was a relatively easy prey, since it was neither fast nor had any protection.

System

Although Coryphodon looked very much like a hippo, he was not even distantly related to them. Instead, he is the namesake and largest member of the Coryphodontidae. The Coryphodontidae among the Pantodonten, a primitive mammal family that had its heyday in the Paleocene and Eocene. The Patodonten were the first known mammals that reached about dogs large proportions. At the end of the Eocene, they were probably replaced by more effective and faster grazing animals such as the Brontotheriidae.