Megalotragus

Megalotragus was a genus of very large extinct African alcelaphines that occurred from the Pliocene to early Holocene.[1][2] It's skull resembled that of modern hartebeests, but differed in larger body size and proportions. Megalotragus includes some of the largest bovid species in the tribe Alcelaphini, reaching a shoulder height of 1.4 m (4.6 ft). The genus consists of three species of which Megalotragus priscus survived until the early Holocene 7.500 C14yBP.[2]

Megalotragus
Temporal range: Pliocene - early Holocene, 5–0.0055 Ma
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Megalotragus kattwinkeli skull
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
Tribe: Alcelaphini
Genus: †Megalotragus
van Hoepen, 1932
Species
  • M. kattwinkeli (type)
  • M. priscus Broom, 1909
  • M. issaci

Description

The skull of Megalotragus is similar to that of the hartebeest: characterized by extreme elongation, and the fusion and posterior of the horn pedicels. However, it's postcrania and proportions are largely reminiscent of wildebeest: for instance, axes from Megalotragus are robust and compact, suggesting it had a robust, muscular neck that was likely held horizontally, much like black wildebeest.[3]

See also

References
  1. Turvey, S.T. (2009). Holocene mammal extinctions. In: Turvey, S.T. (editor) (2009). Holocene extinctions. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
  2. Thackeray, John Francis. (2015). Faunal Remains from Holocene Deposits, Excavation 1, Wonderwerk Cave, South Africa. African Archaeological Review.
  3. Brink, J.S. (2005). The Evolution of the Black Wildebeest, Connochaetes gnou, and Modern Large Mammal Faunas in Central Southern Africa (PDF) (PhD). University of Stellenbosch.


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