''Paratoceras'' is an extinct

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 ...

Artiodactyla Artiodactyls are placental mammals belonging to the order (biology), order Artiodactyla ( , ). Typically, they are ungulates which bear weight equally on two (an even number) of their five toes (the third and fourth, often in the form of a hoof ...

, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. They lived during the Early to Middle

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 ...

, 20.4—10.3 Ma, existing for approximately .''Paratoceras'' at fossilworks
/ref> ''Paratoceras'' resembled

deer A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) ...

, but were probably more closely related to

chevrotain Chevrotains, or mouse-deer, are small, even-toed ungulates that make up the family Tragulidae, and are the only living members of the infraorder Tragulina. The 10 extant species are placed in three genera, but several species also ar ...

s. In addition to having horns on the top of the head, they had a third horn on the snout.

Species

* ''P. coatesi'' * ''P. macadamsi'' * ''P. orarius'' * ''P. tedfordi'' * ''P. wardi ''

Fossil distribution

Fossils have been recovered from: * Gaillard Cut,

Cucaracha Formation The Cucaracha Formation (Tca)Geologic Map, 1980 is a Formation (geology), geologic formation in Panama. It preserves vertebrate and plant fossils dating back to the Neogene Period (geology), period; Miocene, Early to Middle Miocene epochs (Heming ...

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

* Balumtun Sandstone,

Chiapas Chiapas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas, is one of the states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises Municipalities of Chiapas, 124 municipalities and its capital and large ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

* Suchilquitongo Formation,

Oaxaca Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...

, Mexico * Trinity River Pit 1, Fleming Formation,

San Jacinto County, Texas San Jacinto County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 27,402. Its county seat is Coldspring. The county's name comes from the Battle of San Jacinto which secured Texas' independence from Mexi ...

References

Protoceratids Miocene Artiodactyla Burdigalian life Langhian life Miocene mammals of North America Hemingfordian Barstovian Clarendonian Fossils of Mexico Fossils of Panama Fossils of the United States Fossil taxa described in 1937 Prehistoric Artiodactyla genera {{paleo-eventoedungulate-stub