extinct
Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
ruminant
Ruminants are herbivorous grazing or browsing artiodactyls belonging to the suborder Ruminantia that are able to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, principally through microb ...
which existed in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
,
East Africa
East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...
, and the
Siwaliks
The Sivalik Hills, also known as Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas.
The literal translation of "Sivalik" is 'tresses of Shiva'. The hills are known for their numerous fossils, and are also home to the Soanian Middle Pale ...
during the
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...
and possibly
Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch (geology), epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.33 to 2.58
Dorcatherium by Mauricio Anton.jpg, Dorcatherium sp. by Mauricio Anton
Dorcatherium minus.JPG, ''Dorcatherium minus'' jaw fragments, Natural History Museum, London
(MHNT) Dorcatherium crassum - Hémimandibule gauche.jpg, ''Dorcatherium crassum'' Left Hemi Mandible MHNT
(MHNT) Dorcatherium guntianum - Hémimandibule gauche.jpg, ''Dorcatherium guntianum'' Left Hemi Mandible MHNT
Palaeoecology
''D. naui'' was partially frugivorous, the evidence for this being its dental enamel's 87Sr/86Sr, δ18OCO3, and δ13C values. At the
Middle Miocene
The Middle Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), epoch made up of two Stage (stratigraphy), stages: the Langhian and Serravallian stages. The Middle Miocene is preceded by the Early Miocene.
The sub-epoch lasted from 15.97 ± 0. ...
site of Maboko in
Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
, ''D. pigotti'' displays relatively high δ13C values, probably indicative of feeding in less wooded environments than modern tragulids, while the δ13C values of ''D. chappuisi'' at the same site were even higher, suggesting a preference for even more open and arid habitats than ''D. pigotti''.