Desmostylus
Sign in to saveDesmostylus is an extinct genus of herbivorous mammal of the family Desmostylidae living from the Chattian stage of the Late Oligocene subepoch through the Late Miocene subepoch (28.4 mya–7.250 Mya) and in existence for approximately .
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5 sectionsContents
- Description
- Species
- Fossil distribution
- Notes
- References
Desmostylus is an extinct genus of herbivorous mammal of the family Desmostylidae living from the Chattian stage of the Late Oligocene subepoch through the Late Miocene subepoch (28.4 mya–7.250 Mya) and in existence for approximately .
==Description== thumb|left|Skull of D. japonicus at the National Museum of Nature and Science, [[Tokyo, Japan. Holotype]] Desmostylus was a large, hippopotamus-like creature, with the adult Keton specimen of D. hesperus measuring in length, in height and in body mass; the largest known humerus, which is 1.3 times that of the Keton specimen in length, probably belonged to an individual with a mass of . It had a short tail and powerful legs with four hooves. The animal's jaws were elongated and sported forward-facing tusks, which were elongated canines and incisors.