Prodremotherium

Prodremotherium elongatum

Resurrected on:

7 sep. 2020

Genus information

Prodremotherium is a genus of gelocid, or hornless ruminant, that lived during the Oligocene epoch of Eurasia. It is believed that Prodremotherium is a very primitive ancestor of the modern day giraffes and Okapi. It resembled a very small deer with the size of a fox, but it already had a somewhat elongated neck compared to its relatives. This means that the elongated neck of the giraffes came before the existence of the giraffes themselves.

Family:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Gelocidae

Eurasia

Oligocene

Species information

The genus of prodremotherium contains at least three species of which P. elongatum is known from the Oligocene epoch of France. Prodremotherium had long legs, which means it was a good runner. It probably lived in dense forests and fed on small plants.

Species:

Paleontologist:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Prodremotherium elongatum

Filhol, 1877

Europe

Oligocene

Length:

Height:

Weight:

60 cm

50 cm

10 kg

Reference:

Danowitz, M., Vasilyev, A., Kortlandt, V., & Solounias, N. (2015). Fossil evidence and stages of elongation of the Giraffa camelopardalis neck. Royal Society open science, 2(10), 150393.