Paraceratherium

The paraceratherium ( Paraceratherium bugtiense ) was gigantic a Rhinocéros without horns, whose Fossile S were found in the Chitarwata formation of the Hills of Bugti, Baloutchistan. He lived with the lower Miocène, when this area of Central Asia was covered with luxuriant a wet Tropical forest.

One does not discuss to know if it is or not about a distinct species but there is dissension on the placement of this animal in the same kind as Indricotherium transouralicum (known also under the name of Baluchitherium grangeri ). If it is about the same kind, Indricotherium and Baluchitherium would become synonyms of Paraceratherium , since, according to the rules of scientific classification, it is the first publication which determines the priority and the name of Paraceratherium precedes of more than one decade the two others.

Species of Paraceratherium

Lucas and 1989 Sobus, in their study of Indricotheriinae recognize four S of Paraceratherium ; it is about:

Paraceratherium transouralicum (Pavlova, 1922)

Also known under the name of Indricotherium , it is most known and most largely widespread of the species. One finds it starting from the Oligocene means and higher than Kazakhstan, in Mongolia and in Nei Monggol in the North of China. Lucas and Sobus give the following species like synonyms: Indricotherium asiaticum Borissiak, 1923, Indricotherium washout Borissiak, 1923 and Baluchitherium grangeri Osborn, 1923.

Paraceratherium orgosensis (Chiu, 1973)

Paraceratherium orgosensis constitutes the greatest species, the teeth being at least of a quarter larger than those of P. transouralicum (see Lucas and Sobus p.363/fig.19.2) known starting from the Oligocene means and higher than Xinjiang, in the North-West of the China. The three synonyms are Dzungariotherium orgosensis Chiu, 1973 and (each one of the following named according to an isolated cranium) Dzungariotherium turfanensis Xu, 1978 and a Paraceratherium lipidus Wang, 1978. Whereas there is some variation in the details of the proportions of cranium (perhaps because of the sexual dimorphism), all were found in close geographical areas and carry to the higher molars a first and a second distinct hook.

Paraceratherium bugtiense (Pilgrim, 1908)

Paraceratherium bugtiense, of Miocène lower than Pakistan, is a standard species of Paraceratherium. “Baluchitherium osborni”, Forster Cooper, 1913, is a synonym.

Paraceratherium prohorovi (Borissiak, 1939)

Paraceratherium prohorovi of the Oligocene superior or Miocène lower than Eastern Kazakhstan.

See too

Baluchiterium .

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