Paratoceras is a medium-sized extinct genus

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 Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae

Protoceratidae

Protoceratidae is an extinct family of herbivorous North American artiodactyls that lived during the Eocene through Pliocene at around 46.2—4.9 Ma., existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, 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...

 from the Miocene

Miocene

The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...

 epoch, 16.3—15.97 Ma, existing for approximately .

Taxonomy

Paratoceras was named by Frick (1937). Its type is Paratoceras macadamsi. It was assigned to Protoceratidae by Frick (1937) and Carroll (1988); and to Protoceratinae by Webb (1981), Prothero (1998), Webb et al. (2003) and Prothero and Ludtke (2007).

Morphology

Poabromylus resembled deer

Deer

Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...

. However they were more closely related to camelids

Camel

A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...

. In addition to having horns in the more usual place, protoceratids had additional, rostral horns above the orbital cavity

Orbit (anatomy)

In anatomy, the orbit is the cavity or socket of the skull in which the eye and its appendages are situated. "Orbit" can refer to the bony socket, or it can also be used to imply the contents...

. Poabromylus was larger than Eocene members of Tylopoda: Heteromeryx

Heteromeryx

Heteromeryx is an extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to North America from the Eocene epoch 40.2—33.9 Ma, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Leptoreodon

Leptoreodon

Leptoreodon is a small extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to North America from the Eocene epoch 40.2—33.9 Ma, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Leptotragulus

Leptotragulus

Leptotragulus is a small extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to North America from the Eocene epoch 40.2—33.9 Ma, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Toromeryx

Toromeryx

Toromeryx is a medium-sized extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to southwestern North America from the Eocene epoch 46.2—42 Ma, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Trigenicus

Trigenicus

Trigenicus is a small extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to North America from the Late Eocene epoch 37.2—33.9 Ma, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, and Poabromylus

Poabromylus

Poabromylus is a small extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to North America from the Eocene epoch 46.2—33.9 Ma, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

.

Body mass

A single fossil specimen of Poabromylus was measured by M. Mendoza, C. M. Janis, and P. Palmqvist for body mass. The specimen was determined to weigh:

• Specimen 1: 73.3 kg (161.6 lb)

Fossil distribution

Fossils have been recovered from:

• Gaillard Cut, Panama
  Panama
  Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
  
  
• Balumtum Sandstone Formation, Chiapas, Mexico
• Suchilquitongo Formation, Oaxaca, Mexico
  Oaxaca, Mexico
  Oaxaca, Mexico, may refer to:*The state of Oaxaca, one of the 32 component federal entities of the United Mexican States*Oaxaca, Oaxaca, capital city of that state...
  
  
• Trinity River Pit 1, Fleming Formation, San Jacinto County, Texas