# Microbunodon > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Microbunodon > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Microbunodon.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbunodon > Source revision: 1354770271 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Extinct family of mammals}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{fossilrange|Upper Eocene|Lower Pliocene}} | image = Microbunodon.JPG | image_caption = Skull and jaw of ''Microbunodon minimum'' | taxon = Microbunodon | authority = }} '''''Microbunodon''''' is a [genus](/source/genus) of [artiodactyl](/source/artiodactyl) [mammal](/source/mammal)s in the family [Anthracotheriidae](/source/Anthracotheriidae). It lived from the late [Eocene](/source/Eocene) to the early [Pliocene](/source/Pliocene) (about 35–5 million years ago). Its fossil remains have been found in [Europe](/source/Europe) and [Asia](/source/Asia). ==Description== ''Microbunodon'', unlike most of its close relatives, was small in size and with a slight build.It weighed between 20–25 kilograms and the [skull](/source/skull) was about 20–30 centimeters long. ''Microbunodon'' was slim with long legs and a short snout with long prominent [canine teeth](/source/canine_tooth) in males, similar to a [saber-toothed cat](/source/saber-toothed_cat). It was characterized by a fused mandibular [symphysis](/source/symphysis), with a ventral ridge-like prominence. ==Classification== left|thumb|Life Restoration The genus ''Microbunodon'' was established by Deperet in 1908Depéret, C., 1908: L'histoire géologique et la phylogénie des anthracothériidés. Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences de Paris, vol. 146, p. 158–162. to accommodate a species previously described by [Georges Cuvier](/source/Georges_Cuvier) in 1822 and attributed to the genus ''[Anthracotherium](/source/Anthracotherium)'', as ''A. minimum'',Cuvier, G., 1822: Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles, où l'on rétablit les caractères de plusieurs animaux, dont les révolutions du globe ont détruit les espèces, 412 p. G. Dufour et E. d'Ocagne, Paris. from the [Oligocene](/source/Oligocene) superior of [France](/source/France). The [type species](/source/type_species), ''Microbunodon minimum'', lived in the Oligocene in Europe and is known in France, [Germany](/source/Germany), [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland), [Austria](/source/Austria) and [Turkey](/source/Turkey). Other species attributed to this genus are ''M. silistrensis'' (early and middle Miocene, [Indian subcontinent](/source/Indian_subcontinent) and [Indochina](/source/Indochina)) and ''M. milaensis'' (late Miocene and early Pliocene, Indian subcontinent and Indochina). Other fossils attributed to this genus come from the upper Eocene of [China](/source/China) and testify to an exceptional longevity of this evolutionary line.T. Tsubamoto. 2010. Recognition of Microbunodon (Artiodactyla, Anthracotheriidae) from the Eocene of China. ''Paleontological Research'' 14(2):161-165 ''Microbunodon'' is an anthracothere, a group of artiodactyls usually considered similar to [hippopotami](/source/hippopotami). ''Microbunodon'' represents an aberrant morphology for this family, whose members usually have large, heavy shapes. ''Microbunodon'' and ''[Anthracokeryx](/source/Anthracokeryx)'' have been placed in a separate subfamily, [Microbunodontinae](/source/Microbunodontinae).Lihoreau F, Ducrocq S. 2007. Family Anthracotheriidae. In: Prothero DR, Foss SE, editors. ''The Evolution of Artiodactyls''. Baltimore(MD): The Johns Hopkins University Press; p. 89–105. == Paleobiology== Based on the microanatomy of its [long bones](/source/Long_bone), ''M. minimum'' was a fully [terrestrial animal](/source/terrestrial_animal).{{Cite journal |last1=Houssaye |first1=Alexandra |last2=Martin |first2=Florian |last3=Boisserie |first3=Jean-Renaud |last4=Lihoreau |first4=Fabrice |date=13 March 2021 |title=Paleoecological Inferences from Long Bone Microanatomical Specializations in Hippopotamoidea (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10914-021-09536-x |journal=[Journal of Mammalian Evolution](/source/Journal_of_Mammalian_Evolution) |language=en |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=847–870 |doi=10.1007/s10914-021-09536-x |issn=1064-7554 |access-date=2 August 2025 |via=Springer Nature Link|url-access=subscription }} Analysis of the dental wear of ''Microbunodon'' reveals that it probably had a diet based on leaves and fruit.Systematique et paleoecologie des Anthracotheriidae (Artiodactyla; Suiformes) du Mio-Pliocene de l'Ancien Monde: Implications paleobiogeographiques. Unpublished These d'Universite, Universite de Poitiers It likely lived in forest environments and had a lifestyle quite similar to that of [musk deer](/source/musk_deer) and [mouse deer](/source/mouse_deer). It is likely that it originated in Asia in the Eocene. At the end of the Oligocene, ''Microbunodon'' migrated to Europe and spread rapidly, along with other artiodactyls. This event is known as the ''Microbunodon'' event, due to the significant impact that the invasion of these animals had on European fauna of the period.Scherler L, Mennecart B, Hiard F, Becker D (2013) Evolution of terrestrial hoofed-mammals during the Oligocene-Miocene transition in Europe. [Swiss Journal of Geosciences](/source/Swiss_Journal_of_Geosciences) 106: 349–369. {{doi|10.1007/s00015-013-0140-x}}Mennecart B (2015) The European Ruminants during the “Microbunodon Event” (MP28, Latest Oligocene): Impact of Climate Changes and Faunal Event on the Ruminant Evolution. PLoS ONE 10(2): e0116830. {{doi|10.1371/journal.pone.0116830|doi-access=free}} ==References== {{Reflist}} *Hünermann, K. A. von, 1967: Der Schädel von ''Microbunodon minus'' (Cuvier) (Artiodactyla, Anthracotheriidae) aus dem Chatt (Oligozän). ''Eclogue Geologicue Helvetica'', vol. 60, p. 661–668. *Lihoreau, F., Blondel, C., Barry, J. and Brunet, M., 2004: A new species of the genus ''Microbunodon'' (Anthracotheriidae, Artiodactyla) from the Miocene of Pakistan: genus revision, phylogenetic relationships and palaeobiogeography. Zoologica Scripta, vol. 33, p. 97–115. *Takehisa Tsubamoto, Thaung-Htike, Zin-Maung-Maung-Thein, Naoko Egi, Yuichiro Nishioka, Maung-Maung, and Masanaru Takai. (2012) New Data on the Neogene Anthracotheres (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from Central Myanmar. ''Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology'' 32:4, 956-964. {{Taxonbar|from=Q20721950}} Category:Anthracotheres Category:Oligocene Artiodactyla Category:Eocene Artiodactyla Category:Eocene genus first appearances Category:Chattian genus extinctions Category:Eocene mammals of Asia Category:Oligocene mammals of Asia Category:Oligocene mammals of Europe Category:Prehistoric Artiodactyla genera --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Microbunodon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbunodon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbunodon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.