''Palaeotragus'' ("ancient goat") is a genus of very large, primitive,
okapi
The okapi (; ''Okapia johnstoni''), also known as the forest giraffe, Congolese giraffe and zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal that is endemic to the northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. However, non-invasive gen ...
-like
giraffids from 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 ...
to
Early Pleistocene
The Early Pleistocene is an unofficial epoch (geology), sub-epoch in the international geologic timescale in chronostratigraphy, representing the earliest division of the Pleistocene Epoch within the ongoing Quaternary Period. It is currently esti ...
of
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
and
Eurasia
Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...
.
''Palaeotragus primaevus'' is the older species, being found in early to mid-Miocene strata, while ''P. germaini'' is found in Late Miocene strata. ''P. primaevus'' is distinguished from ''P. germaini'' by the lack of
ossicone
Ossicones are columnar or conical skin-covered bone structures on the heads of giraffes, male okapi, and some of their extinct relatives. Ossicones are distinguished from the superficially similar structures of Horn (anatomy), horns and antlers ...
s. It was also the smaller species, being a little under at the shoulders. ''P. germaini'' had a pair of ossicones, and in life, it would have resembled either a short-necked, tall giraffe, or a gargantuan okapi.
''Palaeotragus inexspectatus'' from the Early Pleistocene of Greece represents the youngest giraffid in Europe.
Species
The genus consists of the following species:
* ''
Palaeotragus decipiens''
* ''
Palaeotragus germaini''
* ''
Palaeotragus inexspectatus''
* ''
Palaeotragus microdon''
* ''
Palaeotragus primaevus''
* ''
Palaeotragus quadricornis''
* ''
Palaeotragus. rouenii''
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
Miocene mammals of Europe
Prehistoric giraffes
Miocene Artiodactyla
Miocene genus extinctions
Prehistoric Artiodactyla genera
Miocene mammals of Asia
Miocene mammals of Africa
Fossil taxa described in 1861
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