HOME | DD

Description
More examples of my fossil photography can be seen in my DA "Paleo & Sci Illo" gallery:

lexlothor.deviantart.com/galle…

Brontops is a late Eocene brontothere. The brontotheres comprised a family of Perissodactyls distantly related to horses and rhinoceroces. During the Eocene some lineages of this group evolved to become progressively larger. Early genera were no larger than goats. The final genera that became extinct at the end of the Eocene were as huge as elephants. The brontotheres also developed larger and larger nasal horns.

Brontops from the Chadron Formation of South Dakota was more massive than the white rhino. They grew bigger as the Earth's climate dried and cooled after the development of circum-Antarctic circulation. The family members were all browsers. Their low crowned teeth grew larger in proportion with their bodies. This however was not adequate to adapt to the grasses that spread across the world during the Oligocene. Brototheres became extinct and were replaced by rhino relatives with more efficient grinding teeth.

This skull is on display at the Black Hills Institute in Hill City, South Dakota.

text (c) John P. Alexander

I have eliminated the background on this photo so that the image may be used for educational and artistic purposes. Please inform me if you use this picture as stock.

Description
More examples of my fossil photography can be seen in my DA "Paleo & Sci Illo" gallery:

lexlothor.deviantart.com/galle…

Brontops is a late Eocene brontothere. The brontotheres comprised a family of Perissodactyls distantly related to horses and rhinoceroces. During the Eocene some lineages of this group evolved to become progressively larger. Early genera were no larger than goats. The final genera that became extinct at the end of the Eocene were as huge as elephants. The brontotheres also developed larger and larger nasal horns.

Brontops from the Chadron Formation of South Dakota was more massive than the white rhino. They grew bigger as the Earth's climate dried and cooled after the development of circum-Antarctic circulation. The family members were all browsers. Their low crowned teeth grew larger in proportion with their bodies. This however was not adequate to adapt to the grasses that spread across the world during the Oligocene. Brototheres became extinct and were replaced by rhino relatives with more efficient grinding teeth.

This skull is on display at the Black Hills Institute in Hill City, South Dakota.

text (c) John P. Alexander

I have eliminated the background on this photo so that the image may be used for educational and artistic purposes. Please inform me if you use this picture as stock.