In Depth
Tylocephalonyx is noted for being one of the dome headed chalicotheres due to the enlarged cranial dome of the skull which is the reason for the first two parts of the name which mean ‘knob head’. The rear part of the name is a reference to the claws on the hands that were most probably used for hooking around branches so that Tylocephalonyx could pull them down to it mouth. The dome of the head has been speculated to have been for use in dominance contests where to rivals may have tried to headbutt one another into submission.
Further Reading
– Tylocephalonyx, a new genus of North American dome-skulled chalicotheres (Mammalia, Perissodactyla). – Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 164(1):1-64. – M. C. Coombs – 1979.
