- Embrithopoda
Taxobox
name = Embrithopoda
fossil_range=Late Eocene -Early Oligocene
image_width = 200px
image_caption = "Arsinoitherium "
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Mammal ia
infraclassis =Eutheria
superordo =Afrotheria
ordo = †Embrithopoda
subdivision_ranks = Families
subdivision = †Arsinoitheriidae
†Phenacolophidae Embrithopoda is an extinct order of mammals which first appeared in the fossil record during the late
Eocene and then died out during theOligocene , 35+ million to 23 million years before the present.Embrithopods bore a superficial resemblance to
rhinoceros es, except that their horns had bony cores covered inkeratin ized skin, and were not made ofhair , and not all embrithopods possessed horns, either. Despite their appearance, they were related toelephant s, and were notperissodactyl s.The Embrithopoda are seen as close relatives of the
Hyracoidea and may be the ancestors ofProboscidea . They are currently believed to be part of the cohortAfrotheria .Fossils of Embrithopoda such as "
Arsinoitherium " have been found inEgypt ,Mongolia ,Turkey andRomania , even though until the 1970's only "Arsinoitherium" itself was known, appearing isolated in the fossil record.
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