Chalicotherium

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***Chalicotherium*** (Ancient Greek χαλιξ/khalix, khalik-: pebble/gravel + θηρίον/thērion, diminutive of θηρ/thēr : beast) is a genus of extinct browsing odd-toed ungulates of the order Perissodactyla and family Chalicotheriidae, found in Europe, Africa, and Asia during the Late Oligocene to Lower Pliocene, living from 28.4—3.6 mya, existing for approximately 24.8 million years.

This animal would look much like other chalicotheriid species: an odd-looking herbivore with long clawed forelimbs and stouter weight bearing hindlimbs.

The type species, *Chalicotherium goldfussi*, from Miocene and Pliocene Europe, was described by Johann Jakob Kaup in 1833 and since then 7 other species have been confidently assigned to this genus. According to current phylogenetic analyses *Chalicotherium* has two daughter genera nested within it, *Anisodon* Lartet, 1851 and *Nestoritherium* J. J. Kaup, 1859, thus rendering it paraphyletic.

## Description

Chalicotherium, genus of extinct perissodactyls, the order including the modern Horse and the infamous Rhinoceros. Fossil remains of the genus are common in deposits of Asia, Europe, and Africa from the Miocene Epoch (23 to 5.3 million years ago). The genus persisted into the following Pliocene Epoch, and remains of a related genus, Moropus, are found in North America.  Chalicotherium and its relatives, collectively known as the chalicotheres, were very unusual in appearance and structure. In overall appearance the body and slim skull were horselike. The front limbs were longer than the hind limbs, and the back sloped downward.

The teeth were distinctive in structure and unhorselike. The feet were quite distinctive. There were no hooves; instead, each of the three toes on each foot terminated in a strongly developed claw. It is probable that the development of claws was related to the feeding habits of the animal. Chalicotherium may have browsed on branches of trees, pulling them down with the front claws; the claws may also have been employed to dig up roots and tubers.

It numbered several species, all of whom had claws instead of hooves, unlike its relatives such as *Ancylotherium*. Chalicotheres were related to horses and rhinoceroses, but they fed like pandas, and walked like modern apes like gorillas or extinct ground sloths did.

The Chalicotherium is an extinct megafauna mammal that lived approximately 15 million to 5 million years ago – from the Middle through the Late Miocene Periods. It was first discovered during the early 19th century and was described and named in 1833 by Johann Jakob Kaup.

The name of this animal means “pebble beast.” It was an animal which lived on the plains of Eurasia. If you look at Chalicotherium pictures without studying it beforehand, then you are very likely to think it was some kind of creature created in the lab. It had the snout of a horse but it had the body of a moose and muscular looking arms that looked like they’d be better suited to be on a giant sloth. All while it drug its knuckles on the ground like a modern gorilla. It was a very strange looking animal indeed.

One of the most interesting facts about Chalicotherium is that it is almost immune to classification. It has no living relatives and was just a very bizarre animal in general. However, there are a few things that scientists do know about it. For instance, they know that it is a perissodactyl – a term which means that it was an odd-toed ungulate, like a modern horse. Although instead of hooves it had claws instead. Claws that most likely would have been used to pull branches down so it could eat the leaves.

Another thing that scientists aren’t sure about Chalicotherium is whether or not it had any natural enemies. Most likely, a full-grown one wouldn’t have had too many other animals to worry about. It was just too big. However, very young individuals or those who were sick could have been a food source for large predatory carnivores such as Amphicyon. Chalicotherium were about 9 feet high at the shoulder and probably weighed as much as 2,000 pounds. That would have made this animal a very formidable looking beast. Fortunately, it wasn’t a carnivore but was an herbivore instead.

During the Oligocene and the Miocene the chalicotheres were some of the biggest mammals around, but as time went and new animals, like *Amphicyon*, evolved and grew bigger, smarter, and more powerful, *chalicotheres* began to die out - and the deterioration of the climate contributed to that as well, until by the time of the Pleistocene they were all gone, with the hooved chalicotheres like *Ancylotherium* going last. Relatives of *Chalicotherium* - the other chalicotheres - include *Protomoropus*, *Moropus*, *Kalimantsia*, and *Ancylotherium*.

## Classification

### Taxonomic history

The type specimens for *Chalicotherium goldfussi* were found in the Upper Miocene strata of the Dinotherien-sande beds near Eppelsheim, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, Germany. Kaup, when describing this new animal in 1833, found the teeth to be pebble-like and named the creature accordingly. Later on, limbs found in strata located at Sansan in the department of Gers, Southwestern France, were first described as *Macrotherium* by Édouard Lartet in 1837. Further study of these fossil remains and subsequent finds by Filhol warranted a referral of the material described as *Macrotherium* to *Chalicotherium*. A more recently synonymized genus is Butleria, preoccupied by a butterfly genus.

Referral history for each species is detailed in the species list below along with morphological and geographical data where available.

### Species

#### Valid

* *Chalicotherium goldfussi* J. J. Kaup, 1833.

The type species, it was found in Upper Miocene beds located in Germany. It weighed around 1500 kg and was 2.6 m high at the shoulder. *Chalicotherium giganteum Pictet*, 1844.
First described as *Macrotherium giganteum Gervais*, later sunk into the type species for lack of distinguishing skeletal morphology, it was found in the Upper Miocene strata located at Sansan, France.

* *Chalicotherium brevirostris*

First described as *Macrotherium brevirostris* Colbert 1934, this species hails from the Upper Miocene Tung Gur Formation, Inner Mongolia, China. *Chalicotherium rusingense Butler*, 1962.
This species hails from the Lower Miocene strata located in Kenya and Uganda. \**Chalicotherium pilgrimi*
Formerly known as *Schizotherium pilgrimi* Forster Cooper, then referred to *Macrotherium*, this species hails from the Lower Miocene Bugti beds of Pakistan.

* *Chalicotherium wetzleri*

Formerly named as *Schizotherium wetzleri* this species hails from Oligocene beds located in France and Germany, leading scientists to believe it was widespread in Western Europe.

* *Chalicotherium salinum*

First described as *Macrotherium salinum* Forster Cooper, this species was first discovered at the Lower Pliocene Lower Siwaliks beds in India; its chronological and geographic range was later extended to the Middle and Upper Miocene, and to Pakistan and China, respectively.

* *Chalicotherium wuduensis*

This species hails from Upper Miocene strata located in Gansu, China.

#### Invalid

*Chalicotherium antiquum* J. J. Kaup, 1833.
Found at the same locality as the type species, it was later found wanting of diagnostic features and sunk into the type species.

* *Chalicotherium baltavarense*

This name pertains to a specimen found in Slovakia that was later lumped into Chalicotherium pentelicum.

* *Chalicotherium minus*

For sometime considered a species of *Anisodon*, it was later sunk into the type species.

* *Chalicotherium posterigenium*

Junior synonym of *Chalicotherium sivalense*

* *Chalicotherium sindiense*

Junior synonym of *Chalicotherium sivalense*

* *Chalicotherium sinense*

This species hailing from Lower Pliocene beds found in China is now assigned to the genus Nestoritherium.

* *Chalicotherium sivalense*

Erected from specimens found in Upper Miocene beds located in India it is now assigned to the genus Nestoritherium.

* *Chalicotherium pentelicum* (pentelici in some older publications)

Hailing from Upper Miocene strata of Slovakia and Greece, Samos being a notable locality of the latter, the species named *Colodus pachygnathum* was later subsumed with it. Further study referred this species to the genus *Ancylotherium*.

* *Chalicotherium grande Blainville*, 1849.

Further study after this species' first description as Macrotherium grande Lartet, 1837, and subsequent referral to *Chalicotherium* by Blainville and later on of *M. rhodanicum*, *M. magnum* and *M. sansaniense*, warranted all the pertaining specimens to be clustered under the revived genus *Anisodon* Lartet, 1851, by Geraads et al. in 1995, as *Anisodon grande*.

#### Attributed specimens:

* *Chalicotherium* cf. C. brevirostris Wang et al., 2001.

Hailing for the Tsaidam Basin, northern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China.

* "Chalicotherium modicum" Stehlin, 1905.

A nomen nudum, actually a Schizotherium priscum tooth.

* "Chalicotherium" bilobatum Cope.

Hailing from the Oligocene of Saskatchewan, this very fragmentary specimen was the type on which Russel erected the genus *Oreinotherium*.

* *Chalicotherium* spp.

Specimens found in two Tajikistan localities, thought to pertain to at least two different species.

## Appearance in other media

### *Jurassic Park*

* *Chalicotherium* appeared as a sliver in the Glacial park in Jurassic Park Builder.

## References

* https://www.britannica.com/animal/Chalicotherium
* https://www.newdinosaurs.com/chalicotherium/
* https://www.thoughtco.com/chalicotherium-pebble-beast-1093180
* https://www.geologievannederland.nl/fossielen/zoogdier-beschrijvingen/chalicotherium
* https://www.darwinsdoor.co.uk/prehistoricplanet/chalicotherium-goldfussi-the-miocene-giraffe.html