Praeovibos

Praeovibos
Temporal range: Pleistocene
Fossil of Praeovibos priscus at Musée de Préhistoire de Tautavel [fr]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Placentalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: †Praeovibos
Staudinger, 1908
Species:
†P. priscus
Binomial name
†Praeovibos priscus
Staudinger, 1908

Praeovibos, also known as the giant muskox, is an extinct genus of bovid that contains a single species, Praeovibos priscus. It is closely related to the living muskox (Ovibos moschatus), and is placed as a part of the same tribe Ovibovini.[1]

Description

Restoration of Praeovibos priscus at Musée de Préhistoire de Tautavel

Praeovibos priscus was larger than the modern muskox (Ovibos moschatus) with a shoulder height of 130–165 cm and longer, more massive limbs.[2]

Evolution, distribution and habitat

The earliest fossils of the genus date to the Early Pleistocene, around 1.5 million years ago.[1]

The giant muskox was widespread during the Pleistocene, ranging from western Europe to Alaska and the Northern Yukon Territory. During the Glacial Periods Praeovibos priscus lived in the upland together with reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and other alpine animals. This species also lived in open wooded or savanna-like habitat, however in Spain and England it has been found living in moist, temperate forests.[3] The youngest fossils date to the Last Glacial Period, less than 50,000 years ago.[1]

Ecology

Analysis of specimens from the Early Pleistocene of Spain suggests that Praeovibos was primarily a grazer.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c Campos, Paula F.; Sher, Andrei; Mead, Jim I.; Tikhonov, Alexei; Buckley, Michael; Collins, Matthew; Willerslev, Eske; Gilbert, M. Thomas P. (August 2010). "Clarification of the taxonomic relationship of the extant and extinct ovibovids, Ovibos, Praeovibos, Euceratherium and Bootherium". Quaternary Science Reviews. 29 (17–18): 2123–2130. Bibcode:2010QSRv...29.2123C. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2010.05.006.
  2. ^ Mol, D., De Vos, J. & Reumer, J.W. F., 1999 – Praeovibos priscus (Bovidae, Artiodactyla, Mammalia) from the North Sea and aspects of its paleoecology
  3. ^ Peter C. Lent (1999). Muskoxen and Their Hunters: A History. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-3170-2
  4. ^ Palmqvist, P.; Perez-Claros, J. A.; Janis, C. M.; Figueirido, B.; Torregrosa, V.; Grocke, D. R. (2008-11-01). "Biogeochemical and Ecomorphological Inferences On Prey Selection and Resource Partitioning Among Mammalian Carnivores In An Early Pleistocene Community". PALAIOS. 23 (11): 724–737. Bibcode:2008Palai..23..724P. doi:10.2110/palo.2007.p07-073r. ISSN 0883-1351.

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