Explore this animal in Size of Extinct Animals ↗
498 / Cenozoic
Propalaeotherium
Propalaeotherium hassiacum
This fox-sized perissodactyl was a palaeothere relative, not a direct horse ancestor.
View original image · 1600 × 1067- Time range
- About 49–43 million years ago
- Final stage
- Middle Eocene
- Geographic range
- Warm forest and lakeshore · Europe
01 / DEFINITION & ECOLOGY
What was Propalaeotherium?
Propalaeotherium (Propalaeotherium hassiacum) was an extinct organism known from About 49–43 million years ago, with a range in Warm forest and lakeshore · Europe.
Life and ecology
Multi-toed feet moved through forest understory while low-crowned teeth browsed soft leaves and fruit.
02 / DISAPPEARANCE
Why did Propalaeotherium disappear?
Eocene changes in forests and perissodactyl faunas are possible context, but they do not establish why the species disappeared.
03 / EVIDENCE
How do scientists know about Propalaeotherium?
Messel skeletons, gut contents and hair outlines preserve body form and diet.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Rewrote an extinction cause that presented environmental or faunal turnover as established; it is now given as context the record does not prove.
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS