Limnenetes
Encyclopedia
Limnenetes is an extinct genus
of oreodont
, endemic to North America
during the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene subepochs (38—33.9 mya) existing for approximately .
Limnenetes was a herbivore
with a heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed
hoove
s.
, Bathygenys
, Brachycrus
(syn. Pronomotherium), Desmatochoerus
, Eporeodon
(syn. Hypselochoerus, Pseudodesmatochoerus), Hypsiops
(syn. Pseudomesoreodon, Submerycochoerus), Leptauchenia
(syn. Brachymeryx, Cyclopidius, Hadroleptauchenia, Pithecistes, Pseudocyclopidius), Mediochoerus
, Merycoides
(syn. Paramerychyus), Merycochoerus
, Merycoidodon
(syn. Blickohyus, Genetochoerus, Oreodon, Otionohyus, Paramerycoidodon, Prodesmatochoerus, Promesoreodon, Subdesmatochoerus), Mesoreodon, Miniochoerus (syn. Parastenopsochoerus, Platyochoerus, Stenopsochoerus), Oreodontoides
, Oreonetes
, Paroreodon
(syn. Epigenetochoerus), Phenacocoelus
, Sespia
(syn. Megasespia), Ticholeptus
(syn. Poatrephes).
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of oreodont
Oreodont
Oreodons, sometimes called prehistoric "ruminating hogs," were a family of cud-chewing plant-eater with a short face and tusk-like canine teeth...
, endemic to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
during the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene subepochs (38—33.9 mya) existing for approximately .
Limnenetes was a herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
with a heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed
Even-toed ungulate
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in odd-toed ungulates such as horses....
hoove
Hoof
A hoof , plural hooves or hoofs , is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, strengthened by a thick horny covering. The hoof consists of a hard or rubbery sole, and a hard wall formed by a thick nail rolled around the tip of the toe. The weight of the animal is normally borne by both the sole...
s.
Taxonomy
Limnenetes was named by Earl Douglass in 1901 as Limnenetes platyceps. It was synonymized subjectively with Leptauchenia by Lander (1999). It was assigned to Merycoidodontidae by Tabrum and Nichols (2001).Morphology
A single specimen was examined by M. Mendoza for body mass and estimated to have a weight of 33.9 kg (77.9 lbs).Sister genera
AclistomycterAclistomycter
Aclistomycter is an extinct genus of oreodont during the early Chadronian subepoch existing for approximately .Aclistomycter was a very small herbivorous artiodactyl with a short face, small, but tusk-like canine teeth, heavy body, and long tail, short feet.-Taxonomy:Aclistomycter was named and...
, Bathygenys
Bathygenys
Bathygenys is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae , endemic to North America during the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene subepochs existing for approximately ....
, Brachycrus
Brachycrus
Brachycrus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycochoerinae, endemic to North America during the Middle Miocene to Late Miocene subepochs existing for approximately ....
(syn. Pronomotherium), Desmatochoerus
Desmatochoerus
Desmatochoerus is a large extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae , endemic to North America during the middle Oligocene-Late Oligocene epochs existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:Desmatochoerus was named by Schultz and Falkenbach ...
, Eporeodon
Eporeodon
Eporeodon is an extinct genus of oreodont belonging to the subfamily Eporeodontidae during the Oligocene epoch existing for approximately ....
(syn. Hypselochoerus, Pseudodesmatochoerus), Hypsiops
Hypsiops
Hypsiops is an extinct genus of oreodont of the superfamily Merycoidodontoidea, family Merycoidodontidae endemic to North America during the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene epochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
(syn. Pseudomesoreodon, Submerycochoerus), Leptauchenia
Leptauchenia
Leptauchenia is an extinct goat-like genus of terrestrial herbivore belonging to the oreodont family Merycoidodontidae, and the type genus of the tribe Leptaucheniini...
(syn. Brachymeryx, Cyclopidius, Hadroleptauchenia, Pithecistes, Pseudocyclopidius), Mediochoerus
Mediochoerus
Mediochoerus is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae, endemic to North America during the Early Miocene-Middle Miocene subepochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
, Merycoides
Merycoides
Merycoides is an extinct genus of oreodont of the subfamily Merycoidodontinae endemic to North America during the Whitneyan stage of the Oligocene-Late Oligocene epochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
(syn. Paramerychyus), Merycochoerus
Merycochoerus
Merycochoerus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae , endemic to North America during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene existing for approximately ....
, Merycoidodon
Merycoidodon
Merycoidodon is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae ,...
(syn. Blickohyus, Genetochoerus, Oreodon, Otionohyus, Paramerycoidodon, Prodesmatochoerus, Promesoreodon, Subdesmatochoerus), Mesoreodon, Miniochoerus (syn. Parastenopsochoerus, Platyochoerus, Stenopsochoerus), Oreodontoides
Oreodontoides
Oreodontoides is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae, endemic to North America during the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene subepochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
, Oreonetes
Oreonetes
Oreonetes is an extinct genus of oreodont endemic to North America from the Late Eocene 38.0—33.9 Ma living approximately .Oreonetes was a very small browsing oreodont found in the forest undergrowth in the Western United States during the Late Eocene.-Taxonomy:Oreonetes was named by Loomis . It is...
, Paroreodon
Paroreodon
Paroreodon is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae, endemic to North America during the Oligocene-Miocene subepochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
(syn. Epigenetochoerus), Phenacocoelus
Phenacocoelus
Phenacocoelus is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae, endemic to North America during the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene subepochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
, Sespia
Sespia
Sespia is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae , endemic to North America during the Whitneyan stage of the Oligocene-Late Oligocene epochs existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:Sespia was named by Schultz and Falkenbach as a...
(syn. Megasespia), Ticholeptus
Ticholeptus
Ticholeptus is an extinct genus of oreodont endemic to North America during the Early Miocene-Middle Miocene epochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
(syn. Poatrephes).