| Aceratherium | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A. incisivum skull at theGallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy, Paris. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Perissodactyla |
| Family: | Rhinocerotidae |
| Subfamily: | †Aceratheriinae |
| Genus: | †Aceratherium Kaup, 1832 |
| Type species | |
| †Aceratherium incisivum Cuvier, 1822 | |
| Species | |
Aceratherium, fromAncient Greek ἀ- (á-), meaning "-less", κέρας (kéras), meaning "horn", and θηρίον (theríon), meaning "beast",[2] is an extinct genus ofrhinocerotid of thesubfamilyAceratheriinae that lived inEurasia during theMiocene.
Aceratherium was coined by Kaup (1832) for"Rhinoceros" incisivum Cuvier, 1822 on the basis of the similarity of two skulls from Eppelsheim, Germany to the holotype incisor tooth from Weisenau in dental structure.[3] However, the tooth from Weisenau has been recognized as belonging to a member ofTeleoceratini, although the nameAceratherium has been widely used for the Eppelsheim skulls.[4] Traditionally, many species have been referred toAceratherium on the basis of them being hornless, turning the genus into awastebasket. Revisions over the years have removed most species to the point that there are now only three valid species generally recognized (A. incisivum,A. depereti, andA. porpani).
Aceratherium reached 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) in length, a height of about 120 cm (47 in) and a weight of nearly 1ton.[5] Its brachyodont dentition suggests it was a browser which fed on leaves and soft vegetables,[6] though more recent analyses suggest thatA. incisivum was actually a grazer.[7] It had fairly long limbs compared to other Aceratheriinae, and was proportioned similar to atapir. Males had tusk-like incisors that were much larger than those of the females.[6]
