Desmostylus
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| Desmostylus Fossil range: Miocene |
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 Desmostylus
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| Desmostylus hesperus Marsh, 1888 |
Desmostylus is a monotypic genus of extinct herbivorous mammal. Desmostylus was a large, hippopotamus-like creature of about 1.80 m (6 ft) long which weighed about 200 kg. It had a short tail and powerful legs with four hooves. Both the creature's jaws were elongated and sported forward-facing tusks, which were elongated canines and incisors. Desmostylus was probably amphibious, living in shallow water in coastal regions. Some paleontologists have argued it may have fed on seaweed during low tide.
[edit] References
- Barry Cox, Colin Harrison, R.J.G. Savage, and Brian Gardiner. (1999): The Simon & Schuster Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures: A Visual Who's Who of Prehistoric Life. Simon & Schuster.
[edit] See also
 This prehistoric mammal-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
