Xenokeryx

Name: Xenokeryx ‭(‬alien/Strange horn‭)‬.
Phonetic: Ze-no-keh-riks.
Named By: Israel M.‭ ‬Sánchez,‭ ‬Juan L.‭ ‬Cantalapiedra,‭ ‬María Ríos,‭ ‬Victoria Quiralte‭ & ‬Jorge Morales‭ ‬-‭ ‬2015.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Artiodactyla,‭ ‬Ruminantia,‭ ‬Palaeomerycidae.
Species: X.‭ ‬amidalae‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Herbivore.
Size: Unavailable.
Known locations: Spain.
Time period: Miocene.‭
Fossil representation: Partial skull remains.

       Xenokeryx is a genus of palaeomerycid artiodactyl mammal that lived in western Europe during the‭ ‬Miocene.‭ ‬Xenokeryx is noted to‭ ‬have a bizarre T-shaped horn rising up from the back of the skull.‭ ‬This horn is the inspiration of the type species name X.‭ ‬amidalae,‭ ‬which is a reference to the character of Queen Amidala from Star Wars:‭ ‬The Phantom Menace who‭ ‬wore an elaborate head dress.

Further reading
-‭ ‬Systematics and Evolution of the Miocene Three-Horned Palaeomerycid Ruminants‭ (‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Cetartiodactyla‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬PLOS ONE‭ ‬10‭ (‬12‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Israel M.‭ ‬Sánchez,‭ ‬Juan L.‭ ‬Cantalapiedra,‭ ‬María Ríos,‭ ‬Victoria Quiralte‭ & ‬Jorge Morales‭ ‬-‭ ‬2015.

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