Hypohippus (Greek: "under" (hypos), "horse" (hippos)[1]) is an extinct genus of three-toed horse, which lived 17–11 million years ago.[2] It was the largest anchitherine equid about the size of a modern domestic horse, at 403–600 kg (888–1,323 lb)[3][4] and 1.8 m (5.9 ft) long. It was a long-necked, high-shouldered browser with sub-hypsodont, lophodont (rhino-like) dentition, that fed on the tough vegetation of forest understory and shrubs. Its deep preorbital fossae and retraction of the nasal notch hint at the presence of a long, muscular and prehensile upper lip that would aid during selective browsing. Overall its ecology would have been more comparable to modern okapi than to grazing horses.[5] Fossils of it have been found in Nebraska, Colorado, and Montana.[6][7]
20th century restoration by Heinrich Harder.
Life restoration showing a prominent, prehensile upper lip.
| Hypohippus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Hypohippus osborni skeleton | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Perissodactyla |
| Family: | Equidae |
| Subfamily: | †Anchitheriinae |
| Genus: | †Hypohippus Leidy, 1858 |
| Species | |
| |
References
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