Moropus

Name: Moropus ‭(‬Slow/sloth foot‭)‬.
Phonetic: More-oh-pus.
Named By: Othniel Charles Marsh‭ ‬-‭ ‬1877.
Synonyms: Chalicotherium merriami,‭ ‬Lophiodon oregonensis,‭ ‬Macrotherium merriami,‭ ‬Moropus cooki,‭ ‬Macrotherium matthewi,‭ ‬Moropus parvus,‭ ‬Moropus petersoni.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Chalicotherioidea,‭ ‬Chalicotheriidae,‭ ‬Schizotheriinae.
Species: M.‭ ‬distans‭ (‬type‭)‬,‭ ‬M.‭ ‬elatus,‭ ‬M.‭ ‬hollandi,‭ ‬M.‭ ‬matthewi,‭ ‬M.‭ ‬merriami,‭ ‬M.‭ ‬oregonensis,‭ ‬M.‭ ‬senex.
Diet: Herbivore.
Size: About‭ ‬2.4‭ ‬meters tall at the shoulder.
Known locations: Across the United States.
Time period: Aquitanian through to Langhian of the Miocene.
Fossil representation: Remains of multiple individuals.

       Moropus seems to have been larger than most other chalicotheres,‭ ‬and its broad distribution and numerous remains indicate that it was one of the most common animals alive in North America during the early stages of the Miocene.‭ ‬Moropus also seems to have not walked upon its knuckles to protect its claws like most other chalicotheres,‭ ‬presumably because its larger size meant increased weight,‭ ‬so not walking like other chalicotheres would mean a reduction in strain upon the knuckles.‭ ‬Another chalicothere believed to have done this is Ancylotherium.

Further reading
-‭ ‬A new species of Moropus‭ (‬M.‭ ‬Hollandi‭) ‬from the base of the middle Miocene of western Nebraska,‭ ‬O.‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Peterson‭ ‬-‭ ‬1913.

-‭ ‬The osteology of the Chalicotheroidea,‭ ‬with special reference to a mounted skeleton of Moropus elatus Marsh,‭ ‬now installed in the Carnegie Museum,‭ ‬W.‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Holland‭ & ‬O.‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Peterson‭ ‬-‭ ‬1914.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Random favourites