Nabotherium

Nabotherium aegyptiacum

Resurrected on:

7 jan. 2021

Genus information

Nabotherium is a fairly new species of anthracothere that lived during the Oligocene epoch of Northern Africa. In life, the species would have resembled a small hippopotamus-like animal with a narrow skull and pig-like features. Nabotherium was probably bound to wet habitats, like swamps and shores of rivers and lakes.

Family:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Anthracotheriidae

Africa

Oligocene

Species information

Nabotherium aegyptiacum is the only species within its genus and fossils have been found in Egypt. The species developed quite a different set of teeth compared to other anthracotheres, having closely packed incisors and simple molars. This indicates that Nabotherium would have been more efficient at crushing foods than slicing vegetation. The species probably fed on both aquatic vegetation and fruits.

Species:

Paleontologist:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Nabotherium aegyptiacum

Andrews, 1906

Africa

Oligocene

Length:

Height:

Weight:

1.0 m

40 cm

150 kg

Reference:

Sileem, A. H., Sallam, H. M., Hewaidy, A. G. A., Miller, E. R., & Gunnell, G. F. (2016). A new anthracothere (Artiodactyla) from the early Oligocene, Fayum, Egypt, and the mystery of African ‘Rhagatherium’solved. Journal of Paleontology, 90(1), 170-181.