   #copyright

Indricotherium

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Dinosaurs

                 iIndricotherium

                             Conservation status

   Extinct (fossil)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom:     Animalia
   Phylum:      Chordata
   Class:       Mammalia
   Order:       Perissodactyla
   Superfamily: Rhinocerotidae
   Family:      Hyracodontidae
   Subfamily:   Indricotheriinae
                Borissiak, 1923
   Genus:       Indricotherium
                Borissiak, 1915
   Species:     I. transouralicum

                                Binomial name

   Indricotherium transouralicum
   ( Pavlova, 1922)

   Indricotherium lived in Asia during the late Oligocene and early
   Miocene epoch of the Tertiary Period, The Indricotherium is known to
   have been the largest land mammal ever. The mean size of adults is
   estimated to have been 5m (16.5 ft) tall, 8m (26.5 ft) in length and a
   weight of about 15 tons. It was a herbivore that stripped leaves from
   trees with its down-pointing, tusk-like upper teeth that occluded
   forward-pointing lower teeth.

   These giant animals seem to have been limited to central Asia and
   southernmost parts of Pakistan, for their fossils have not been found
   elsewhere.

   The correct Latin names for fossils in this group (the indricotheres)
   are a matter of uncertainty. It is also widely known as
   "Baluchitherium" ("beast of Baluchistan"), as it was first discovered
   in Baluchistan, South West Province of Pakistan. This genus name,
   Baluchitherium Forster Cooper 1913, is now widely regarded as a synonym
   of his earlier genus Paraceratherium Forster Cooper 1911. However, the
   animal once widely known as Baluchitherium grangeri Osborn 1923 is now
   thought to be the same as Indricotherium transouralicum Pavlova 1922.
   The older species name takes priority.

   There is also disagreement over whether Indricotherium Borissiak 1915
   is a distinct genus from Paraceratherium. Lucas and Sorbus 1989 argue
   for synonymy, and consider that the differences between the two are of
   species level at most, and may even be the result of sexual dimorphism
   in a single species, with the larger more robust Indricotherium with
   larger incisors being probably the male, and the more gracile
   Paraceratherium the female. Others, however, have expressed doubts
   about this (concerning the interpretation of the shape of the skull).
   Even if these two do turn out to be distinct genera, they would still
   be very similar in size and appearance.

   Indricotherium is named after a mythical Russian beast called the "
   indrik", considered the most powerful creature and the father of the
   animals.

In popular culture

     * Baluchitherium is a Van Halen instrumental from their 10th studio
       album (11th overall), Balance.
     * The baluchitherium is a monster appearing in the computer game
       Nethack.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indricotherium"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
