Entelodon

{{Short description|Extinct genus of mammals}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{Fossilrange|37.2|28.4}}Houldjinian–Rupelian | image = Entelodon magnus 2 canines MHNT.PAL.2013.0.1016.1-2.jpg | image_caption = Two mandibular canines of ''E. magnus'' at the MHNT | taxon = Entelodon | type_species_authority = Aymard, 1846 | authority = Aymard, 1846 | type_species = †'''''Entelodon magnus''''' | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = * †''E. magnus'' (type species)Aymard, 1846 * †''E. ronzonii'' Aymard, 1846 * †''E. aymardi'' (Pomel, 1853) * †''E. verdeaui'' (Delfortrie, 1874) * †''E. deguilhemi'' Repelin, 1918 * †''E. antiquus'' Repelin, 1919 * †''E. dirus'' Matthew and Granger, 1923 * †''E. gobiensis'' (Trofimov, 1952) * †''E. major'' (Biriukov, 1961) | synonyms = * ''Elotherium'' Pommel, 1847 }} '''''Entelodon''''' (meaning 'complete teeth', from Ancient Greek {{lang|grc|ἐντελής}} ''entelēs'' 'complete' and {{lang|grc|ὀδών}} ''odōn'' 'tooth', referring to its "complete" eutherian dentition<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Foss|first=Scott E.|title=The Evolution of Artiodactyls|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-8018-8735-2|editor-last=Prothero|editor-first=Donald R.|location=Baltimore|pages=120–129|chapter=Family Entelodontidae|editor-last2=Foss|editor-first2=Scott E.}}</ref>), formerly called '''''Elotherium''''', is an extinct genus of entelodont artiodactyl found in Eurasia. Fossils of species of ''Entelodon'' are found in Paleogene strata ranging in age from the Houldjinian (37.2–33.9 mya) until the Rupelian epoch of the early Oligocene (33.9–28.4 mya).<ref>[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=42369 PaleoBiology Database: ''Entelodon'', basic info]</ref>

==Taxonomy== It is one of four entelodont genera native to Eurasia, the other three being the primitive ''Eoentelodon'' of late Eocene China, ''Proentelodon'' of middle Eocene Mongolia and the gigantic ''Paraentelodon'' of mid-to-late Oligocene Central Asia.

==Description== thumb|left|Size comparison between ''E. deguilhemi'' and a human ''Entelodon'' was a fairly typical entelodont, with a large, bulky body, slender legs, and a long snout.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Foss|first=Scott E.|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/304715809|title=Systematics and Paleobiology of the Entelodontidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla)|publisher=Ph.D Dissertation. Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University|year=2001|location=DeKalb, Illinois|id={{ProQuest|304715809}}}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Scott|first=W. B.|date=1898|title=The Osteology of ''Elotherium''|journal=Transactions of the American Philosophical Society|volume=19|issue=3|pages=273–324|doi=10.2307/1005496|issn=0065-9746|jstor=1005496}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Marsh|first=O. C.|date=1894-05-01|title=Restoration of ''Elotherium''|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/124374#page/439/mode/1up|journal=American Journal of Science|volume=s3-47|issue=281|pages=407–408|doi=10.2475/ajs.s3-47.281.407|bibcode=1894AmJS...47..407M|s2cid=130683520|issn=0002-9599}}</ref>

Like other entelodonts, ''Entelodon'' had complete eutherian dentition (3 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars, and 3 molars per quadrant). It had only two toes on each foot, and its legs were built for fast running.<ref name="Agusti">Agustí, J and Antón, M (2002). ''Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids: 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe''. Retrieved from [https://books.google.com/books?id=Pqd4vTcoWMsC&dq=entelodon&pg=PA75 Google Books]</ref> Its long, wide head was supported by a robust, short neck,<ref name="Agusti" /> and its cheekbones were greatly enlarged and protruded noticeably from the sides of the head.<ref name="Joeckel">{{Cite journal|jstor = 2400970|title = A Functional Interpretation of the Masticatory System and Paleoecology of Entelodonts|last1 = Joeckel|first1 = R. M.|journal = Paleobiology|year = 1990|volume = 16|issue = 4|pages = 459–482|doi = 10.1017/S0094837300010198| bibcode=1990Pbio...16..459J }}</ref> Though it was more closely related to hippos and whales than pigs, its skull was generally pig-like.<ref name="Agusti" /><ref name="Joeckel" /> It is presumed to have been an omnivore.

European species of ''Entelodon'' were around {{convert|1.35|m}} tall at the shoulders, with a {{convert|65|cm}} skull.<ref name="Agusti" /> ''Entelodon major'', known from the Kutanbulak Formation in Kazakhstan was around {{convert|1.70|m}} tall at the shoulders, with an {{convert|80|cm}} skull, making it one of the largest entelodonts. ''E. gobiensis'' was one of the largest entelodonts, estimated to have weighed {{convert|630|kg|lb}}.<ref>Tsubamoto Takehisa, Tsogtbaatar Khishigjav; Saneyoshi Mototaka et al. (2013). ''[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264534084 New specimens of Entelodon gobiensis (Mammalia; Artiodactyla; Entelodontidae) from the Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation, Mongolia]''. The Bulletin of Research Institute of Natural Sciences, Okayama University of Science. 39. 37-41.</ref>

==Paleoecology== [[File:Entelodon.jpg|left|thumb|Life restoration by Charles R. Knight, 1896]] Based on its dental microwear, ''E. magnus'' had an omnivorous diet comparable to that of the modern wild boar.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rivals |first=Florent |last2=Belyaev |first2=Ruslan I. |last3=Basova |first3=Vera B. |last4=Prilepskaya |first4=Natalya E. |date=1 February 2023 |title=Hogs, hippos or bears? Paleodiet of European Oligocene anthracotheres and entelodonts |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003101822200534X |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |language=en |volume=611 |article-number=111363 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111363 |access-date=14 April 2025 |via=Elsevier Science Direct|doi-access=free }}</ref>

''Entelodon'' remains are primarily known from Europe,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Aymard|first=A.|date=1846|title=Essai monographique sur un nouveau genre de mammifere' fossile trouve dans la Haute-Loire, et nomme ''Entelodon''|journal=Annales de la Société d'Agriculture, Sciences, Arts et Commerce du Puy|volume=12|pages=227–267}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pomel|first=A.|date=1847|title=Note sur un nouveau genre de pachydermes du bassin de la Gironde (''Elotherium magnum'')|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/240488#page/1115/mode/1up|journal=Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France|volume=2|issue=4|pages=1083–1085}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pomel|first=A.|date=1847|title=Sur un nouveau genre de Pachydermes fossiles (''Elotherium'') voisin des Hippopotames|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89048211742&view=1up&seq=781&skin=2021|journal=Archives des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles|volume=5|pages=307–308}}</ref> although fossils have also been found in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and even as far east as Japan.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lucas |first1=Spencer G. |last2=Emry |first2=Robert J. |date=January 1996 |title=Late Eocene entelodonts (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) from Inner Mongolia, China |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283797868 |journal=Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington |volume=109 |issue=2 |pages=397–405 |via=ResearchGate}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Tsubamoto |first1=Takehisa |last2=Koda |first2=Yoshiki |last3=Hasegawa |first3=Yoshikazu |last4=Nabana |first4=Satoshi |last5=Tomida |first5=Yukimitsu |date=August 2015 |title=Paleogene mammals from the Iwaki Formation in Japan: Their implications for the geologic age and paleobiogeography of this formation |journal=Journal of Asian Earth Sciences |volume=108 |pages=18–32 |doi=10.1016/j.jseaes.2015.03.049 |bibcode=2015JAESc.108...18T |issn=1367-9120}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ducrocq |first1=Stéphane |last2=Chaimanee |first2=Yaowalak |last3=Jaeger |first3=Jean-Jacques |date=March 2019 |title=First record of Entelodontidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from the late Eocene of Southeast Asia |journal=Comptes Rendus Palevol |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=186–190 |doi=10.1016/j.crpv.2018.10.001 |bibcode=2019CRPal..18..186D |issn=1631-0683}}</ref>

''Entelodon magnus'' populated a broad swath of Europe, with remains found in Spain, Germany, France, Romania, and the Caucasus. Extensive remains of ''Entelodon deguilhemi'' were uncovered in Vayres-sur-Essonne, France.<ref name="Agusti" /><ref>[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=95924 Paleobiology Database:Entelodon deguilhemi]</ref> The Chinese ''Entelodon dirus'' is known from a single tooth discovered in Nei Mongol.<ref>[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=101337 Paleobiology Database:Entelodon dirus]</ref>

== See also == * {{portal-inline|Paleontology}}

==References== {{Wikispecies|Entelodon}} {{Commons category|Entelodon}} {{Reflist}}

Category:Oligocene Artiodactyla Category:Entelodonts Category:Rupelian genus extinctions Category:Oligocene mammals of Asia Category:Oligocene mammals of Europe Category:Fossil taxa described in 1846 Category:Prehistoric Artiodactyla genera