Hyotherium

Hy-o-fee-re-um.
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John Stewart

Paleoecologist

John Stewart is a distinguished paleoecologist whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of prehistoric ecosystems. With over two decades dedicated to unearthing fossils across Asia and Africa

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Name

Hyotherium.

Phonetic

Hy-o-fee-re-um.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Cetartiodactyla,‭ ‬Artiodactyla,‭ ‬Suidae.

Diet

Omnivore‭?

Species

H.‭ ‬soemmeringi

Size

Unavailable.

Known locations

Austria.‭ ‬China‭ ‬-‭ ‬Shanwang Formation.‭ ‬France.‭ ‬Germany‭ ‬-‭ ‬Upper Freshwater Molasse Formation,‭ ‬Ville Formation,‭ ‬Brackwater Molasse Formation.‭ ‬Pakistan‭ ‬-‭ ‬Manchar Formation.‭ ‬Poland.‭ ‬Portugal.‭ ‬Serbia and Montenegro.‭ ‬Slovakia.‭ ‬Spain.‭ ‬Switzerland.‭ ‬Thailand.‭ ‬Turkey.

Time Period

Most fossils Aquitanian to Serravallian of the Miocene.‭ ‬Some however indicate that some populations survived till at least the end of the Miocene.

Fossil representation

Mostly teeth and jaws,‭ ‬but some skulls are known.

In Depth

       Though most people have never heard of it,‭ ‬Hyotherium may well be the genus that modern day boar and domestic pigs are descended from.‭ ‬Unfortunately the only fossils that are usually found of Hyotherium are teeth with occasional skulls and lower jaws,‭ ‬so it is difficult to ascertain an exact size range for this pig.‭ ‬What can be said however is that most fossils of Hyotherium are known from early to mid-Miocene deposits in Across Europe.‭ ‬Fossils of Hyotherium are also known from as far away as Pakistan and China,‭ ‬and often these fossils are from later in the Miocene,‭ ‬suggesting that Hyotherium originated in Europe and then radiated out across Asia.‭ ‬Hyotherium and other primitive pigs may have been hunted by predators such as amphicyonids‭ (‬bear dogs‭) ‬as well as nimravids‭ (‬false sabre-toothed cats‭)‬.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Description of a Jaw of Hyotherium,‭ ‬from the Pliocene of India.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society‭ ‬43:‭ ‬19‭–‬99.‭ ‬-‭ ‬R.‭ ‬Lydekker‭ ‬-‭ ‬1887. -‭ ‬Temporal and spatial distribution of Miocene mammals in the western Carpatians‭ (‬Slovakia‭)‬.‭ ‬Geologica Carpathica‭ ‬53‭(‬4‭)‬:269-279.‭ ‬-‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Sabol‭ & ‬P.‭ ‬Holec‭ ‬-‭ ‬2002.

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