| Paraentelodon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Paraentelodon intermedium | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | †Entelodontidae |
| Genus: | †Paraentelodon Gabunia, 1964 |
| Species: | †P. intermedium |
| Binomial name | |
| †Paraentelodon intermedium Gabunia, 1964 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Paraentelodon is anextinctentelodont from the LateOligocene ofAsia.[1] The fossils of the type speciesP. intermedium were found inGeorgia,Kazakhstan andChina.[2] An indeterminate species represents inBugti Hills which is the late Oligocene ofPakistan.[3]
Paraentelodon was named by L. K. Gabunia in 1964 basing onmolars andcanine teeth that were found in Oligocene sites of Benara, Georgia (Georgian SSR at the time of discovery).[4] It was assigned to Entelodontidae by Carroll (1988).
In 1996 Lucas and Emry foundNeoentelodon to be synonymous withParaentelodon.[2]
Although Gabunia did not explain the etymology, the nameParaentelodon is derived from theGreekpara/παρα "beside" or "near", ἐντελής entelēs "complete" or "perfect" and ὀδών odōn "tooth".
One of the largestentelodonts, it had much more massiveteeth than those ofEntelodon. The alleged indeterminateParaentelodon species may be "Elodon transsilvanicus" (Kretzoi, 1941) from theOligocene ofRomania or a close relative, based on similar knolls on theirmolars. In spite of this,Paraentelodon had more common features withAsian andNorth American entelodonts.[4] It was similar in size and form to the giant entelodontDaeodon from the earlyMiocene of North America.[2] The structure of their teeth is visibly similar, butParaentelodon has largerpremolars, less reduction of a posterior group of third knolls, a smaller collar ofcheek teeth, and other differing features.[4] Some researchers suggest that it was either ancestral to, or shared an ancestor withDaeodon during a late OligoceneBeringian immigration.[2] As with other entelodonts, it was an omnivore with large teeth that enabled it to crushbone and dig fortubers like its North American relatives.[citation needed]
In late Oligocene deposits ofBalochistan,Paraentelodon sp. was found in the same crust as the giant rhinocerotoidParaceratherium bugtiense and the anthracothereAnthracotherium bugtiense. The fauna of this locality also includes thebovid−like ruminantPalaeohypsodontus zinensis. The presence of these animals indicate an open forested habitat.[3]
The jaws ofParaentelodon were found in the early Miocene Jiaozigou locality of China where a tusk of aGomphotherium-like proboscidean was also present.[5]
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