Aktautitan ( lat. Aktautitan hippopotamopus , generic name in honor of the Aktau Mountains in Kazakhstan ) is an extinct mammal of the family of brontoterium order of artiodactyla , living in the Middle Eocene in Kazakhstan.
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| Aktautitan hippopotamopus Lucas & Emry , 2004 |
Content
- 1 Appearance and structure
- 2 Distribution and fossil finds
- 3 Nutrition
- 4 Lifestyle
- 5 Taxonomic history
- 6 References
Appearance and structure
Aktautitan was one of the largest brothels, its growth at the withers up to 2.5 m.
The skull is saddle-shaped, up to 75-84 cm long. The nasal outgrowths are small, and unlike the outgrowths of other brontotheriids, they are tightly attached to the nasal process. The nasal notch is deep and extends to the fourth premolar. The orbits of the eyes were above the second molars.
Dental formula :
The legs are relatively short and thick, which is displayed in the name of the species.
Distribution and fossil finds
Aktautitan fossils were found in sediments of the Middle Eocene of the Kyzylbulak formation (Kyzyl-Murun, near the Aktau Mountains, the Ili River basin, Kazakhstan). They were found far to the west of the Gobi Desert , where most of the Asian brotteria were discovered. Three skulls of actautitan and individual bones of the body are known. Even in the Kyzylbulak formation, the tracks of large equidactyl, which may belong to this species, were found.
Nutrition
Judging by the structure of the teeth , Aktautitan fed on soft vegetation - leaves and young shoots of trees.
Lifestyle
Aktautitan had short legs, and his fossils were found in lake sediments, which may indicate a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Although these animals could die there, simply by coming to a watering place.
Taxonomic History
Initially, a number of authors (Emry et al., 1997 ; Emry & Lucas, 2001 , 2002 , 2003 ) mistakenly attributed the fossils of actautitan to the genus Protitan . A separate genus was singled out by Milbachler and others in 2004 .