Entelodon

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Extinct genus of mammals

title: "Entelodon" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["oligocene-artiodactyla", "entelodonts", "rupelian-genus-extinctions", "oligocene-mammals-of-asia", "oligocene-mammals-of-europe", "fossil-taxa-described-in-1846", "prehistoric-artiodactyla-genera"] description: "Extinct genus of mammals" topic_path: "general/oligocene-artiodactyla" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entelodon" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Extinct genus of mammals ::

| fossil_range = Houldjinian–Rupelian | image = Entelodon magnus 2 canines MHNT.PAL.2013.0.1016.1-2.jpg | image_caption = Two mandibular canines of E. magnus at the MHNT | taxon = Entelodon | type_species_authority = Aymard, 1846 | authority = Aymard, 1846 | type_species = †Entelodon magnus | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = * †E. magnus (type species)Aymard, 1846

  • †E. ronzonii Aymard, 1846
  • †E. aymardi (Pomel, 1853)
  • †E. verdeaui (Delfortrie, 1874)
  • †E. deguilhemi Repelin, 1918
  • †E. antiquus Repelin, 1919
  • †E. dirus Matthew and Granger, 1923
  • †E. gobiensis (Trofimov, 1952)
  • †E. major (Biriukov, 1961) | synonyms = * Elotherium Pommel, 1847 Entelodon (meaning 'complete teeth', from Ancient Greek ἐντελής entelēs 'complete' and ὀδών odōn 'tooth', referring to its "complete" eutherian dentition), formerly called Elotherium, is an extinct genus of entelodont artiodactyl found in Eurasia. Fossils of species of Entelodon are found in Paleogene strata ranging in age from the Houldjinian (37.2–33.9 mya) until the Rupelian epoch of the early Oligocene (33.9–28.4 mya).

Taxonomy

It is one of four entelodont genera native to Eurasia, the other three being the primitive Eoentelodon of late Eocene China, Proentelodon of middle Eocene Mongolia and the gigantic Paraentelodon of mid-to-late Oligocene Central Asia.

Description

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Size_comparison_between_Entelodon_deguilhemi_and_a_human_male.png" caption="Size comparison between ''E. deguilhemi'' and a human"] ::

Entelodon was a fairly typical entelodont, with a large, bulky body, slender legs, and a long snout.

Like other entelodonts, Entelodon had complete eutherian dentition (3 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars, and 3 molars per quadrant). It had only two toes on each foot, and its legs were built for fast running. Its long, wide head was supported by a robust, short neck, and its cheekbones were greatly enlarged and protruded noticeably from the sides of the head. Though it was more closely related to hippos and whales than pigs, its skull was generally pig-like. It is presumed to have been an omnivore.

European species of Entelodon were around 1.35 m tall at the shoulders, with a 65 cm skull. Entelodon major, known from the Kutanbulak Formation in Kazakhstan was around 1.70 m tall at the shoulders, with an 80 cm skull, making it one of the largest entelodonts. E. gobiensis was one of the largest entelodonts, estimated to have weighed 630 kg.

Paleoecology

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Entelodon.jpg" caption="[[Life restoration]] by [[Charles R. Knight]], 1896"] ::

Based on its dental microwear, E. magnus had an omnivorous diet comparable to that of the modern wild boar.

Entelodon remains are primarily known from Europe, although fossils have also been found in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and even as far east as Japan.

Entelodon magnus populated a broad swath of Europe, with remains found in Spain, Germany, France, Romania, and the Caucasus. Extensive remains of Entelodon deguilhemi were uncovered in Vayres-sur-Essonne, France. The Chinese Entelodon dirus is known from a single tooth discovered in Nei Mongol.

References

References

  1. Foss, Scott E.. (2007). "The Evolution of Artiodactyls". Johns Hopkins University Press.
  2. [https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=42369 PaleoBiology Database: ''Entelodon'', basic info]
  3. Foss, Scott E.. (2001). "Systematics and Paleobiology of the Entelodontidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla)". Ph.D Dissertation. Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University.
  4. Scott, W. B.. (1898). "The Osteology of ''Elotherium''". Transactions of the American Philosophical Society.
  5. Marsh, O. C.. (1894-05-01). "Restoration of ''Elotherium''". American Journal of Science.
  6. Agustí, J and Antón, M (2002). ''Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids: 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe''. Retrieved from [https://books.google.com/books?id=Pqd4vTcoWMsC&dq=entelodon&pg=PA75 Google Books]
  7. (1990). "A Functional Interpretation of the Masticatory System and Paleoecology of Entelodonts". Paleobiology.
  8. Tsubamoto Takehisa, Tsogtbaatar Khishigjav; Saneyoshi Mototaka et al. (2013). ''[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264534084 New specimens of Entelodon gobiensis (Mammalia; Artiodactyla; Entelodontidae) from the Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation, Mongolia]''. The Bulletin of Research Institute of Natural Sciences, Okayama University of Science. 39. 37-41.
  9. Rivals, Florent. (1 February 2023). "Hogs, hippos or bears? Paleodiet of European Oligocene anthracotheres and entelodonts". [[Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology]].
  10. Aymard, A.. (1846). "Essai monographique sur un nouveau genre de mammifere' fossile trouve dans la Haute-Loire, et nomme ''Entelodon''". Annales de la Société d'Agriculture, Sciences, Arts et Commerce du Puy.
  11. Pomel, A.. (1847). "Note sur un nouveau genre de pachydermes du bassin de la Gironde (''Elotherium magnum'')". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France.
  12. Pomel, A.. (1847). "Sur un nouveau genre de Pachydermes fossiles (''Elotherium'') voisin des Hippopotames". Archives des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles.
  13. (January 1996). "Late Eocene entelodonts (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) from Inner Mongolia, China". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington.
  14. (August 2015). "Paleogene mammals from the Iwaki Formation in Japan: Their implications for the geologic age and paleobiogeography of this formation". Journal of Asian Earth Sciences.
  15. (March 2019). "First record of Entelodontidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from the late Eocene of Southeast Asia". Comptes Rendus Palevol.
  16. [https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=95924 Paleobiology Database:Entelodon deguilhemi]
  17. [https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=101337 Paleobiology Database:Entelodon dirus]

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oligocene-artiodactylaentelodontsrupelian-genus-extinctionsoligocene-mammals-of-asiaoligocene-mammals-of-europefossil-taxa-described-in-1846prehistoric-artiodactyla-genera