Here's the second part of my picks for the March Mammal Madness competition, specifically, the extinct mammal 'Antecessors' division. You can read my picks for the first four pairs here.
PSEUDAELURUS VS. ARCHAEOINDRIS
Left image by Jay Matternes. Right by Wiki user Smokeybjb.
Pseudaelurus were relatively slender ancient felids, ranging in size from a typical domestic house cat to a cougar. They were spread across the globe from North America to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Although this genus would later give rise to the sabre tooth cats, only one species shows some indication of having large canines (Pseudaelurus quadridentatus). Their slender proportions and shorter limbs probably allowed them to be swift hunters that were also able to climb trees.
Now let us look at Archaeoindrus: a gorilla-sized lemur with a robust skeleton and long arms. The only species found thus far, Archaeoindrus fontoynontii, weighed around 160 kg and was likely arboreal (tree-dwelling), feasting on leaves and the occasional piece of fruit and seeds plucked from nearby tree branches.
I think a small species of Pseudaelurus wouldn't bother A. fontoynontii. But if this hypothetical battle involves a larger, cougar-sized P. quadridentatus (and this may be the case given its higher seeding), then our giant lemur may be in for some trouble. I'm giving this fight to Pseudaelurus, assuming it can clamp its jaws down on Archaeoindrus's neck before batted away by those long arms.
Now let us look at Archaeoindrus: a gorilla-sized lemur with a robust skeleton and long arms. The only species found thus far, Archaeoindrus fontoynontii, weighed around 160 kg and was likely arboreal (tree-dwelling), feasting on leaves and the occasional piece of fruit and seeds plucked from nearby tree branches.
I think a small species of Pseudaelurus wouldn't bother A. fontoynontii. But if this hypothetical battle involves a larger, cougar-sized P. quadridentatus (and this may be the case given its higher seeding), then our giant lemur may be in for some trouble. I'm giving this fight to Pseudaelurus, assuming it can clamp its jaws down on Archaeoindrus's neck before batted away by those long arms.
DIMETRODON VS. AEGYPTOPITHECUS
Left image by Dimitri Bogdanov. Right image by Nobu Tamura.
The next battle features my childhood favourite 'not-a-dinosaur': Dimetrodon! Dimetrodon was a sail-backed, Early Permian synapsid, sometimes called a 'mammal-like reptile' but more correctly known as a 'non-mammalian synapsid'. Yes, we humans are synapsids, although our mammalian lineage did not directly evolve from Dimetrodon. Different species ranged in size from 1.7 to 4.6 m long, and weighed from 28 to 250 kg. It was a terrestrial predator that sometimes ventured into shallow water to feed on reptiles, fish, and large amphibians.
Aegyptopithecus (known from one species, A. zeuxis), was a small (50-90 cm) ancient primate from the Oligocene of Egypt. The shape and position of its humerus (upper arm bone) suggests that rather than swinging through trees, Aegyptopithecus used all four limbs to climb through branches and along tree trunks.
Sorry Aegyptopithecus, you don't stand a chance against Dimetrodon! The only way it could survive a direct confrontation would be for it to use its cunning, agility, and small size to run circles around Dimetrodon and flee, thereby forfeiting the battle and automatically losing.
Aegyptopithecus (known from one species, A. zeuxis), was a small (50-90 cm) ancient primate from the Oligocene of Egypt. The shape and position of its humerus (upper arm bone) suggests that rather than swinging through trees, Aegyptopithecus used all four limbs to climb through branches and along tree trunks.
Sorry Aegyptopithecus, you don't stand a chance against Dimetrodon! The only way it could survive a direct confrontation would be for it to use its cunning, agility, and small size to run circles around Dimetrodon and flee, thereby forfeiting the battle and automatically losing.
HOMO FLORIENSIS VS. PALAEOLOXODON
Left photograph by Karen Neoh. Right image by Heinrich Harder.
Homo floriensis was a short statured, 'hobbit' sized species of early human. They lived on the island of Flores in Indonesia between 190,000 and 50,000 years ago. They stood about 1 metre tall, were capable of making simple stone tools, and used fire to cook. These stone tools have been found alongside remains of the now extinct dwarf elephant Stegodon. They also had a small brain with a relatively large cognitive centre, similar in size to modern humans.
Palaeoloxodon was a genus of ancient elephants that lived throughout Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene and Holocene. They had long, straight tusks that could grow up to 9 metres in length (depending on the species). One species of Asian Palaeoloxodon, P. namadicus, was around 4 to 5 metres tall at the shoulder, and was possibly the largest land mammal to have ever lived. It is thought that most of the Palaeoloxodon species went extinct due to the introduction of predatory species, including Homo heidelbergensis and other early humans.
Palaeoloxodon seems to have been hunted to extinction by various species of Homo across the globe. And H. floriensis probably knew how to hunt the dwarf elephants of Flores. But if this battle is between H. floriensis and a local species of Palaeoloxodon -- the gigantic P. namadicus -- my bet is on Palaeoloxodon to trample its enemy and win.
UPDATE: I was informed that the species of Palaeoloxodon taking part in the battle is the dwarf Palaeoloxodon falconeri! So my pick is actually for H. floriensis to win this one.
Palaeoloxodon was a genus of ancient elephants that lived throughout Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene and Holocene. They had long, straight tusks that could grow up to 9 metres in length (depending on the species). One species of Asian Palaeoloxodon, P. namadicus, was around 4 to 5 metres tall at the shoulder, and was possibly the largest land mammal to have ever lived. It is thought that most of the Palaeoloxodon species went extinct due to the introduction of predatory species, including Homo heidelbergensis and other early humans.
Palaeoloxodon seems to have been hunted to extinction by various species of Homo across the globe. And H. floriensis probably knew how to hunt the dwarf elephants of Flores. But if this battle is between H. floriensis and a local species of Palaeoloxodon -- the gigantic P. namadicus -- my bet is on Palaeoloxodon to trample its enemy and win.
UPDATE: I was informed that the species of Palaeoloxodon taking part in the battle is the dwarf Palaeoloxodon falconeri! So my pick is actually for H. floriensis to win this one.
AMEBELODON VS. DEINOGALERIX
Left image by Jay Matternes. Right image by Stanton F. Fink.
And finally we come to the last 'Antecessor' division pair. Amebelodon was an ancient proboscidean, an ancestor of modern elephants, that lived in North America during the Miocene. It had a pair of 1 metre long, flat, paired lower tusks that formed a 'shovel'-like scoop, and a pair of more normal looking upper tusks. The lower tusks were likely used to strip bark off trees and dig through vegetation. Various species were up to 3 metres long and 2.5-3 metres tall at the shoulder.
Deinogalerix was a Miocene gymnure, a rat-like 'giant' hedgehog, which lived on islands off the coast of Italy. It was an ancestor of modern day moonrats and hedgehogs, and like modern moonrats, did not have quills. Measuring around 60 cm in length, and with a mouth full of sharp teeth, it likely fed on insects, small reptiles, and other small mammals.
I suppose that Deinogalerix could annoy Amebelodon enough that it quits the field of battle, but I think it's more likely that Amebelodon will accidentally step on and squish our hairy-protohedgehog contender.
Deinogalerix was a Miocene gymnure, a rat-like 'giant' hedgehog, which lived on islands off the coast of Italy. It was an ancestor of modern day moonrats and hedgehogs, and like modern moonrats, did not have quills. Measuring around 60 cm in length, and with a mouth full of sharp teeth, it likely fed on insects, small reptiles, and other small mammals.
I suppose that Deinogalerix could annoy Amebelodon enough that it quits the field of battle, but I think it's more likely that Amebelodon will accidentally step on and squish our hairy-protohedgehog contender.
And that's a wrap for my March Mammal Madness 'Antecessors' division picks!
Join in the fun by printing and filling out your own bracket (found here). Then watch the #2018MMM hashtag from the 12th of March and keep up to date with the battles and fascinating mammal facts!
Join in the fun by printing and filling out your own bracket (found here). Then watch the #2018MMM hashtag from the 12th of March and keep up to date with the battles and fascinating mammal facts!
