Mesohippus

Mesohippus ( drawing by Heinrich Harder, 1920 )

• North America

Mesohippus ( Latinized from the Greek μέσος mesos " middle half " and ἵππος hippos "horse", or " half- horse" ) was an ancestor of the horse, who lived in the time of the Eocene and Oligocene in North America millions before 40-25 years.

Mesohippus was significantly larger than its predecessor Hyracotherium with an average of about 60 inches shoulder height. This is owed ​​in particular his much longer legs, as well as the regression of - typical for the Hyracotherium - spinal curvature. Its weight is estimated at about 34 kg.

The animal had to rear paws still three toes on the front limbs now but three toes with the middle toe emerges. It also formed approaches of incisors, which allowed the consumption of harder grass food. The skull shows a depression which was also maintained at later equines.

These changes suggest an altered habitat. The humid air at the time of Hyracotherium was dry and gradually developed a more open steppe -like landscape with shrubs, bushes and small shrubs that served Mesohippus as food source.

List of species

• M. bairdi
• M. barbouri
• M. braquistylus
• M. equiceps
• M. hypo stylus
• M. intermedius
• M. latidens
• M. longiceps
• M. metulophus
• M. montanensis
• M. obliquidens
• M. proteulophus
• M. westoni