Urtinotherium

Urtinotherium (meaning "Urtyn beast" in Ancient Greek) is an extinct genus of paracerathere mammals. It was a large animal that was closely related to Paraceratherium, and found in rocks dating from the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene period. The remains were first discovered in the Urtyn Obo region (now Dorbod Banner, Ulanqab) in Inner Mongolia, which the name Urtinotherium is based upon. Other referred specimens are from northern China.

==Classification== Urtinotherium pertains to the Paraceratheriidae subfamily Paraceratheriinae. These in turn are part of the superfamily Rhinocerotoidea and therefore represent close relatives of modern rhinoceroses. The paraceratheres are distinguished by the formation of large sharp incisors in their upper and lower jaws, while rhinoceroses only have a two on the lower jaw. Urtinotherium was thought of by Leonard Radinsky to be a transitional form between earlier paraceratheres, like Juxia, and later forms, such as Paraceratherium and Indricotherium (now Paraceratherium transouralicum).