Barylambda
Encyclopedia
Barylambda is an extinct genus
of pantodont mammal from the middle to late Paleocene
, well known from several finds in North America. Like other pantodonts, Barylambda was a heavyset, 5-toed plantigrade
. Three species of Barylambda are currently recognised. Barylambda went extinct during late Paleocene, with the advent of Coryphodon
, a genus of larger, more advanced, pantodonts.
or rhinoceros
with a small head and long, well-developed tail and bear-like legs. The vertebrae of the tail were unusually massive; the living animal may have been able to rear up and support itself on the hind legs and tail in order to reach higher for food. Because of the generalized appearance of the teeth, the presence of well-developed canines
only in males, the grinding wear and lack of shearing blades on the molars, and the animal's heavy build strongly suggest that it was herbivorous. The length was about 2.5 meters with a weight around 650 kg, about the size of a pony
. Barylambda was large even for a pantodont, sheer size probably protecting it from contemporary carnivores. The creature likely lived a life not dissimilar from that of a modern tapir, browsing on foliage and soft vegetation.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of pantodont mammal from the middle to late Paleocene
Paleocene
The Paleocene or Palaeocene, the "early recent", is a geologic epoch that lasted from about . It is the first epoch of the Palaeogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era...
, well known from several finds in North America. Like other pantodonts, Barylambda was a heavyset, 5-toed plantigrade
Plantigrade
right|151px|thumb|Human skeleton, showing plantigrade habitIn terrestrial animals, plantigrade locomotion means walking with the podials and metatarsals flat on the ground. It is one of three forms of locomotion adopted by mammals...
. Three species of Barylambda are currently recognised. Barylambda went extinct during late Paleocene, with the advent of Coryphodon
Coryphodon
Coryphodon is an extinct genus of mammal. It was widespread in North America between 59 and 51 million years ago. It is regarded as the ancestor of the genus Hypercoryphodon of Mid Eocene Mongolia....
, a genus of larger, more advanced, pantodonts.
Anatomy and possible ecology
In life, Barylambda probably resembled a large tapirTapir
A Tapir is a large browsing mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. There are four species of Tapirs: the Brazilian Tapir, the Malayan Tapir, Baird's Tapir and the Mountain...
or rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
with a small head and long, well-developed tail and bear-like legs. The vertebrae of the tail were unusually massive; the living animal may have been able to rear up and support itself on the hind legs and tail in order to reach higher for food. Because of the generalized appearance of the teeth, the presence of well-developed canines
Canine tooth
In mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dogteeth, fangs, or eye teeth, are relatively long, pointed teeth...
only in males, the grinding wear and lack of shearing blades on the molars, and the animal's heavy build strongly suggest that it was herbivorous. The length was about 2.5 meters with a weight around 650 kg, about the size of a pony
Pony
A pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
. Barylambda was large even for a pantodont, sheer size probably protecting it from contemporary carnivores. The creature likely lived a life not dissimilar from that of a modern tapir, browsing on foliage and soft vegetation.