Acerorhinus Explained

Acerorhinus is an extinct genus of rhinocerotid of the tribe Aceratheriini endemic to Asia from the Miocene, living from 13.6 to 7.0 mya existing for approximately .^[1]

Among other locations, well-preserved Acerorhinus skull specimens have been found at Kerassiá in North Eubonea, Greece.^[2]

Taxonomy

Acerorhinus was named by Kretzoi (1942). Its type is Aceratherium zernowi. Originally, many species in this genus including A. zernowi were assigned to Chilotherium. It was assigned to Aceratheriini by Kaya and Heissig (2001); and to Aceratheriini by Antoine and Saraç (2005).^[3]

Description

Acerorhinus had very short legs, more like Teleoceras than other Aceratherines. While most other Aceratherines were grazers, Acerorhinus had brachyodont teeth which indicate a preferences for browsing.^[4]

Like other Aceratherines, it was hornless and had tusk-like incisors.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Acerorhinus . Fossilworks.
2. Athanassiou. Athanassios. September 2014. A new hornless rhinoceros of the genus Acerorhinus (Perissodactyla: Rhinocerotidae) from the Upper Miocene of Kerassiá (Euboea, Greece), with a revision of related forms. Palaeontographica Abteilung A. 303 . 1–3 . 23 . 10.1127/pala/303/2014/23 . 2014PalAA.303...23A . Science Citation Index.
3. P.-O. Antoine and G. Saraç. 2005. Rhinocerotidae from the late Miocene of Akkasdagi, Turkey. Geodiversitas 27(4):601-632
4. Book: Agustí . Jordi . Antón . Mauricio . Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids: 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe . 2002 . Columbia University Press . 9780231116411 . 162.