Andrewsarchus
genus of Eocene mammal
Andrewsarchus mongoliensis (Andrews + Greek ἀρχός, "ruler"), was a predatory artiodactyl, closely related to entelodonts, hippos,whales and Mesonychids
| Andrewsarchus Temporal range: Eocene
| |
|---|---|
| |
| The only skull of Andrewsarchus, on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Genus: | †Andrewsarchus Pao, 1923
|
| Species | |
| |
Andrewsarchus lived during the Eocene, about 45 to 36 million years ago. Because Andrewsarchus is only known from a skull and a few other bones, the animal's full appearance is unknown, but based on what is known of it and its relatives, it was most likely a stocky hoofed entelodont-like animal. It had a long snout with large, sharp teeth and flat cheek teeth that may have been used to crush bones. Because Andrewsarchus is only known from a skull and a few other bones, whether it was an active predator or merely a large scavenger is open to debate, as is its exact time range.
