Etruscan Rhinoceros

Stephanorhinus etruscus

Resurrected on:

18 aug. 2020

Genus information

Stephanorhinus is a genus of two-horned rhinoceros that lived during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epoch of Northern Eurasia and possibly Northern Africa. It was the predominant and often only species of rhinoceros to be found during its time. Several species are known within the genus and most of them were large in size, comparable to that of the extant White Rhinoceros. They lived in a wide range of habitats, ranging from dense forests to open plains, and fed on grasses, bushes or trees.

Family:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Rhinocerotidae

Eurasia

Pliocene to Pleistocene

Species information

The Etruscan Rhinoceros is known from several fossil sites throughout Europe and Asia and its anatomy is therefore well-studied. The species was fairly small, reaching up to 2.5 meters in length, and stood pretty high on its legs. It was a typical browser, looking at its molars and more horizontal position of the skull. The Etruscan Rhinoceros lived in semi-open savanna habitat and browsed on leaves from bushes and smaller trees.

Species:

Paleontologist:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Stephanorhinus etruscus

Falconer, 1868

Eurasia

Pliocene to Pleistocene

Length:

Height:

Weight:

2.5 m

1.5 m

1.900 kg

Reference:

Pandolfi, L., Cerdeño, E., Codrea, V., & Kotsakis, T. (2017). Biogeography and chronology of the Eurasian extinct rhinoceros Stephanorhinus etruscus (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae). Comptes Rendus Palevol, 16(7), 762-773.