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The shrub-ox (''Euceratherium collinum'') is an extinct genus and species of
''Euceratherium'' was one of the first
Image of Euceratherium
Prehistoric bovids Pleistocene even-toed ungulates Pleistocene mammals of North America Fossil taxa described in 1904 Prehistoric even-toed ungulate genera {{paleo-eventoedungulate-stub
ovibovine
The subfamily Caprinae, also sometimes referred to as the tribe Caprini, is part of the ruminant family Bovidae, and consists of mostly medium-sized bovids. A member of this subfamily is called a caprine, or, more informally, a goat-antelope ...
caprine native to North America along with ''Bootherium
''Bootherium'' (Greek: "ox" (boos), "beast" (therion)) is an extinct bovid genus from the middle to late Pleistocene of North America which contains a single species, ''Bootherium bombifrons''.McKenna & Bell, 1997, p. 442. Vernacular names for ...
'' (''Bootherium bombifrons'') and Soergel's ox (''Soergelia mayfieldi'').Descriptions
''Euceratherium'' was one of the first bovid
The Bovidae comprise the biological family of cloven-hoofed, ruminant mammals that includes cattle, bison, buffalo, antelopes, and caprines. A member of this family is called a bovid. With 143 extant species and 300 known extinct species, ...
s to enter North America. It appeared on the continent during the early Pleistocene, long before the first bison
Bison are large bovines in the genus ''Bison'' (Greek: "wild ox" (bison)) within the tribe Bovini. Two extant and numerous extinct species are recognised.
Of the two surviving species, the American bison, ''B. bison'', found only in North ...
arrived from Eurasia. It became extinct about 11,500 years ago. It was formally described in 1904. It is possibly synonymous with ''Bootherium
''Bootherium'' (Greek: "ox" (boos), "beast" (therion)) is an extinct bovid genus from the middle to late Pleistocene of North America which contains a single species, ''Bootherium bombifrons''.McKenna & Bell, 1997, p. 442. Vernacular names for ...
'', although this is uncertain.
Late Pleistocene shrub-ox remains are known from fossil finds spanning from northern California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
to central Mexico. In the East they were distributed at least into Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Roc ...
.
''Euceratherium'' was massively built and in size between a modern American bison
The American bison (''Bison bison'') is a species of bison native to North America. Sometimes colloquially referred to as American buffalo or simply buffalo (a different clade of bovine), it is one of two extant species of bison, alongside the ...
and a musk ox
Musk ( Persian: مشک, ''Mushk'') is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial sub ...
. A specimen was estimated to have a body mass of . On the basis of preserved dung pellets, it has been established that they were browsers with a diet of trees and shrubs.
They seem to have preferred hilly landscapes.
References
Further reading
* P. S. Martin: ''Quaternary Extinctions''. The University of Arizona Press, 1984 * ''Grundzüge der Faunen- und Verbreitungsgeschichte der Säugetiere'', E. Thenius, 2.Auflage, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1980External links
Image of Euceratherium
Prehistoric bovids Pleistocene even-toed ungulates Pleistocene mammals of North America Fossil taxa described in 1904 Prehistoric even-toed ungulate genera {{paleo-eventoedungulate-stub