Synthetoceras

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Synthetoceras Fossil range: Late Miocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: †Protoceratidae Genus: †Synthetoceras Species: †S. tricornatus
Binomial name
†Synthetoceras tricornatus Stirton, 1932

Synthetoceras tricornatus is an extinct species of mammal from the Miocene of North America (Prothero, 1988).

With a length of 2 m (6 ft 8 in), Synthetoceras was the largest member of its family. It was also the last, and had what is considered to be the protoceratids' strangest set of horns. The two horns above its eyes looked fairly normal and similar to those of modern horned mammals, but on its snout it had a bizarre, long horn with a forked tip that gave it a Y shape. Only males had this strange horn, and they probably used it in territorial fights.

[edit] References

• Prothero D.R., 1998. Protoceratidae. pp.431-438 in C.M. Janis, K.M. Scott, and L.L. Jacobs (eds.) Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

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