# Maobrontops

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Maobrontops Temporal range: Late Eocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Holotype maxilla of M. paganus (SYSU-M-4, holotype), with drawings of just the tooth crowns Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Placentalia Order: Perissodactyla Family: †Brontotheriidae Subfamily: †Brontotheriinae Tribe: †Brontotheriini Subtribe: †Brontotheriina Infratribe: †Embolotheriita Genus: †Maobrontops Averianov et al., 2018[1] Species: †M. paganus Binomial name †Maobrontops paganus Averianov et al., 2018[1]

***Maobrontops*** is an [extinct](/source/Extinct) [genus](/source/Genus) of [horned brontothere](/source/Horned_brontothere) that lived in [East Asia](/source/East_Asia) during the Late [Eocene](/source/Eocene). A single species is known, ***M. paganus***, from the [Youganwo Formation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Youganwo_Formation&action=edit&redlink=1) in [Guangdong](/source/Guangdong), China. *Maobrontops* is known only from a single poorly-preserved [maxilla](/source/Maxilla).

## Research history

*Maobrontops paganus* was described in 2018 by Alexander Averianov, Igor Danilov, Wen Chen, and Jianhua Jin. The new [genus](/source/Genus) and [species](/source/Species) were based on the fragmentary left [maxilla](/source/Maxilla) SYSU-M-4, found in an oil shale quarry near [Maoming](/source/Maoming) in [Guangdong](/source/Guangdong), China.[1] The genus name *Maobrontops* derives from Maoming and the genus *Brontops* (now considered a synonym of *[Megacerops](/source/Megacerops)*).[1] The species name *paganus* is [Latin](/source/Latin) for "rustic" and references that many fossils in the vicinity of Maoming are collected by locals.[1] SYSU-M-4 represents the southernmost known record of brontotheres in China.[1]

SYSU-M-4 preserves only three of the teeth: the fourth [premolar](/source/Premolar), and the first and second [molar](/source/Molar_(tooth)). There are also traces of the third premolar, though it is mostly destroyed.[1] The maxilla was identified as belonging to a brontothere by the molars having W-shaped [ectolophs](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ectoloph&action=edit&redlink=1) (outer shearing blades),[1] a distinctive feature of brontothere teeth,[2] and the lingual cusps (tooth cusps in the direction of the tongue) being isolated from each other.[1] Further dental features suggested that *Maobrontops* was a derived brontothere, placed in the [Embolotheriita](/source/Embolotheriita) infratribe.[1] As a genus, *Maobrontops* is characterized mainly by combining a relatively simple fourth premolar that does not have a [hypocone](/source/Hypocone) (one of the cusps) with relatively derived molars with large cusps on the anterolingual (towards the front of the tooth and on the side of the tongue) [cingula](/source/Cingulum_(tooth)).[1]

## Description

SYSU-M-4 is poorly preserved and offers little to no information on the appearance and anatomy of the rest of the jaw or skull.[1]

*Maobrontops* was a large brontothere.[1] Based on equations on [perissodactyl](/source/Perissodactyla) body size based on the length and width of the second molar by [Christine Janis](/source/Christine_Janis), the type specimen of *M. paganus* is estimated to have weighed 792 kilograms (1,746 lb).[1]

## Classification

Averianov et al. performed a [phylogenetic analysis](/source/Phylogenetic_analysis) to determine the position of *Maobrontops*. They used a matrix and character coding from a 2016 study by Matthew C. Mihlbachler and Joshua X. Samuels, but noted that very few characters could be coded for the fragmentary *Maobrontops* (19 out of 91).[1] Averianov et al. recovered *Maobrontops* as the sister taxon to the derived clade that includes the genera *[Embolotherium](/source/Embolotherium)*, *[Nasamplus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nasamplus&action=edit&redlink=1)*, and *[Protembolotherium](/source/Protembolotherium)*. Other than support from the phylogenetic analysis, the large cusps on the anterolingual cingula of the upper molar teeth is the only anatomical trait that securely unites *Maobrontops* with these genera.[1] Averianov et al.'s cladogram is shown below:[1]

Embolotheriita Aktautitan hippopotamopus Pollyosbornia altidens Gnathotitan berkeyi Brachydiastematherium transylvanicum Metatitan khaitshinus Metatitan primus Metatitan relictus Pygmaetitan panxianensis Maobrontops paganus Nasamplus progressus Protembolotherium efremovi Embolotherium andrewsi Embolotherium grangeri

The position of *Maobrontops* suggests that brontotheres in southern and northern China evolved large body sizes independently, since *Maobrontops* is larger than the northern *Protembolotherium*, but not as large as the northern *Embolotherium*.[1]

## Paleoecology

*M. paganus* is known from the upper part of the Youganwo Formation; the type specimen was found in oil shales that are recognized as [lacustrine deposits](/source/Lacustrine_deposits) (rock that formed in ancient lakes).[1] Based on [palynomorph](/source/Palynomorph) fossils and [magnetostratigraphy](/source/Magnetostratigraphy), the Youganwo Formation is dated to the Middle–Late Eocene, or the Late Eocene.[1] Mammal fossils are rare in the Youganwo Formation, and include fossils from [nimravids](/source/Nimravidae) and [amynodonts](/source/Amynodontidae).[1] Reptile fossils are significantly more common, and include remains of both [crocodilians](/source/Crocodilia) ([alligatorids](/source/Alligatoridae) and [tomistomines](/source/Tomistominae)) and [turtles](/source/Turtle) ([adocids](/source/Adocidae), [carettochelyids](/source/Carettochelyidae), [geoemydids](/source/Geoemydidae), and [trionychids](/source/Trionychidae)).[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-13) [***o***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-14) [***p***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-15) [***q***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-16) [***r***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-17) [***s***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-18) [***t***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-19) [***u***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-20) [***v***](#cite_ref-Averianov-2018_1-21) Averianov, Alexander; Danilov, Igor; Chen, Wen; Jin, Jianhua (2018). ["A new brontothere from the Eocene of South China"](http://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app004312017.html). *[Acta Palaeontologica Polonica](/source/Acta_Palaeontologica_Polonica)*. **63**. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.4202/app.00431.2017](https://doi.org/10.4202%2Fapp.00431.2017). Retrieved 18 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:0_2-0)** Mihlbachler, Matthew C. (2008). ["Species Taxonomy, Phylogeny, and Biogeography of the Brontotheriidae (Mammalia: Perissodactyla)"](https://bioone.org/journals/bulletin-of-the-american-museum-of-natural-history/volume-2008/issue-311/0003-0090(2008)501%5b1%3aSTPABO%5d2.0.CO%3b2/Species-Taxonomy-Phylogeny-and-Biogeography-of-the-Brontotheriidae-Mammalia/10.1206/0003-0090(2008)501%5b1:STPABO%5d2.0.CO;2.full). *Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History*. **2008** (311): 1. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1206/0003-0090(2008)501\[1:STPABO\]2.0.CO;2](https://doi.org/10.1206%2F0003-0090%282008%29501%5B1%3ASTPABO%5D2.0.CO%3B2).

v t e Brontotheriidae Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Synapsida Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla Basal brontotheres Eotitanops Palaeosyops Brontotheriinae Acrotitan Balochititanops Bunobrontops Desmatotitan Dolichorhinus Mesatirhinus Sphenocoelus Brontotheriini Epimanteoceras Microtitan Nanotitanops Sthenodectes Rhadinorhinina Fossendorhinus Metarhinus Telmatheriina Metatelmatherium Qufutitan Telmatherium Wickia Xylotitan Brontotheriina (horned brontotheres) Diplacodon Pachytitan Protitan Protitanotherium Rhinotitan Embolotheriita Aktautitan Brachydiastematherium Embolotherium Gnathotitan Maobrontops Metatitan Nasamplus Pollyosbornia Protembolotherium Pygmaetitan Titanodectes Brontotheriita Dianotitan Duchesneodus Eubrontotherium Megacerops Notiotitanops Parabrontops Parvicornus Protitanops Nomen dubia Arctotitan Hyotitan Mulkrajanops Pakotitanops Sivatitanops Category

Taxon identifiers Maobrontops Wikidata: Q51801708 GBIF: 9781576 Open Tree of Life: 7653932 Paleobiology Database: 366882

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Maobrontops](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maobrontops) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maobrontops?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.