Saotherium
Extinct genus of hippopotamus / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the extinct otter genus, see Satherium.
Saotherium is an extinct genus of hippopotamid from the Early Pliocene of Africa, specifically Chad. It is represented by a single species, S. mingoz. The earliest fossils appear at the start of the Pliocene, while the latest are dated to about 4 mya.[2]
Quick Facts Scientific classification, Binomial name ...
Saotherium | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Hippopotamidae |
Genus: | †Saotherium Boisserie, 2005[1] |
Species: | †S. mingoz |
Binomial name | |
†Saotherium mingoz Boisserie, 2005 | |
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Saotherium was a small hippopotamid similar to the pygmy hippopotamus in size and morphology. The elongated shape of its brain case and the relatively large orbits suggest a possible evolutionary relationship with the latter.[3][4]