Biology:Euprox

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Short description: Extinct genus of mammals

Euprox
Temporal range: Mid - Late Miocene
Gabelhirsch-Euprox oder Heteroprox-Tertiär-Obere Süßwassermolasse.jpg
Fossil of Euprox sp..
Scientific classification e
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Cervidae
Genus: Euprox
Stehlin, 1928
Type species
Euprox furcatus
Hensel, 1859 (As Prox furcatus)
Species[1]
  • E. altus Wang & Zhang, 2011
  • E. dicranocerus Kaup, 1839
  • E. furcatus
  • E. grandis Hou, 2015
  • E. margaritae Vislobokova, 1983
  • E. minimus Toula, 1884
  • E. robustus Dong, Liu & Pan, 2003
Synonyms

Prox

Euprox is an extinct genus of deer that lived in Eurasia during the Miocene.

Taxonomy

The type species Euprox furcatus was originally under the genus Prox, but that name was already taken. Depéret assigned it to the related genus Dicrocerus in 1887, before it was assigned to its current placement in 1928.[2] Euprox dicranocerus and Euprox minimus were transferred to the genus soon after; they were originally described as Cervus dicranocerus and Dicracerus minimus, respectively.[3]

Description

Euprox was some of the earliest types of deer known to have true antlers.[4] It would have resembled a muntjac in size and appearance, standing at up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in height.

Antler of Euprox furcatus

The antlers of Euprox were short, with two small prongs projecting from the main branch. Euprox is notable for being the earliest deer to possess the presence of a real burr, which are indicative of the border between permanent and deciduous segments of deer antlers.[5] It possessed brachyodont teeth and likely fed on leaves.[4] The environment that Euprox inhabited would have been warm and humid, with many tropical forests.[4][6]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q3734596 entry