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Embolotherium Temporal range: Late Eocene
E. andrewsi skull at the AMNH
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Perissodactyla
Family:	†Brontotheriidae
Infratribe:	†Embolotheriita
Genus:	†Embolotherium Osborn, 1929
Type species
*Embolotherium andrewsi Osborn, 1929
Species
Embolotherium andrewsi Osborn, 1929 Embolotherium grangeri Osborn, 1929

Embolotherium (Greek ἐμβωλή, embolê + θηρίον, thêrion "battering ram beast", or "wedge beast") is an extinct genus of brontothere that lived in Mongolia during the late Eocene epoch. It is most easily recognized by a large bony protuberance emanating from the anterior (front) of the skull. This resembles a battering ram, hence the name Embolotherium. The animal is known from about 12 skulls, several jaws, and a variety of other skeletal elements from the Ulan Gochu formation of Inner Mongolia as well as the Ergilin Dzo Formation of Outer Mongolia.

Taxonomy

Several species of Embolotherium have been named, including Embolotherium andrewsi, Embolotherium grangeri, Embolotherium louksi, Embolotherium ultimum, Embolotherium ergilensi, and Embolotherium efremovi. However, only two species, Embolotherium andrewsi and Embolotherium grangeri, appear to be valid. Other supposed species of Embolotherium are probably synonymous with these two species and were originally based on juvenile skulls, poorly preserved fossil material, or specimens that are not significantly different from either E. andrewsi or E. grangeri.

Another genus of brontothere, Titanodectes, which was named for several lower jaws found in the same sedimentary deposits as Embolotherium, probably represents the same beast as Embolotherium grangeri. Protembolotherium is another closely related genus from the Middle Eocene, which is distinguished by a noticeably smaller ram.

Description

The skull reaches a condylobasal length of 920 mm. Complete skeletons of Embolotherium have not yet been recovered, although many postcranial elements referable to it have been collected. The postcranial skeleton of Embolotherium suggests a powerful, graviportal animal with a close resemblance to the late Eocene North American brontothere Megacerops, which it rivaled or somewhat exceeded in size, making Embolotherium one of the largest brontotheres, if not the largest. Unlike many of the other Late Eocene brontotheres, there is no clear evidence that Embolotherium was sexually dimorphic. All known specimens have large rams. Therefore, coupled with the fact that the rams were hollow and fragile in comparison to the solid and sturdy horns of the North American brontotheres, such as Megacerops, it does not seem likely that the ram served as a weapon for contests between males. Rather, it might have had a non-sexual function, such as signaling to each other. The ram may have served as a specialized resonator for sound production. This hypothesis is suggested by the fact that the bony nasal cavity extends to the peak of the ram, thus implying that the nasal chamber was greatly elevated, possibly creating a resonating chamber.

References

1. Osborn, H.F. 1929. Embolotherium, gen. nov., of the Ulan Gochu, Mongolia. American Museum Novitates; no. 353
2. Osborn, Henry Fairfield (1929). "Embolotherium, Gen. Nov., Of The Ulan Gochu, Mongolia". American Museum Novitates (353).
3. Mihlbachler, Matthew C. (2008). "Species Taxonomy, Phylogeny, and Biogeography of the Brontotheriidae (Mammalia: Perissodactyla)". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 2008 (311): 1–475. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2008)501[1:STPABO]2.0.CO;2.
4. Benjamin McLaughin, Matthew C. Mihlbachler and Mick Ellison: The postcranial skeleton of Embolotherium (Brontotheriidae) from the Middle and Late Eocne of Central Asia. In: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30 (suppl.), 2010, S. 132A–133A.

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

• Barry Cox, Colin Harrison, R.J.G. Savage, and Brian Gardiner. (1999): The Simon & Schuster Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures: A Visual Who's Who of Prehistoric Life. Simon & Schuster.
• David Norman. (2001): The Big Book of Dinosaurs. page 204, Walcome books.

External links

• BBC Online
• Fact File description

v t e Perissodactyla
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla
Perissodactyla Incertae sedis †Ghazijhippus †Mesolambdolophus †Olbitherium †Anthracobunia Radinskya †Anthracobunidae Anthracobune Hsanotherium Jozaria Obergfellia †Cambaytheriidae Cambaytherium Kalitherium Nakusia Perissobune †Brontotheriidae See Brontotheriidae Equoidea †Cymbalophus †Hallensia †Pliolophus †Systemodon Equidae See Equidae †Palaeotheriidae †Pachynolophinae Anchilophus Bepitherium Eurohippus Hyracotherium Lijiangia Lophiohippus Lophiotherium Metanchilophus Orolophus Pachynolophus Paranchilophus Propalaeotherium Qianohippus †Palaeotheriinae Cantabrotherium Iberolophus Idiodontherium Leptolophus Mekodontherium Metaplagiolophus Palaeotherium Paraplagiolophus Plagiolophus Pseudopalaeotherium †Hyopsodontidae? Aletodon Chacomylus Dorraletes Haplaletes Haplomylus Hyopsodus Litomylus Louisina Monshyus Paratricuspiodon Paschatherium Phenacodaptes Tricuspiodon †Phenacodontidae? Tetraclaenodon †Meniscotheriinae Ectocion Meniscotherium †Phenacodontinae Almogaver Copecion Eodesmatodon Lophocion Phenacodus Tapiromorpha See below↓
Tapiromorpha Incertae sedis †Cambaylophus †Skopaiolophus †Isectolophidae Chowliia Gandheralophus Karagalax Meridiolophus Orientolophus Sastrilophus †Homogalaxinae Homogalax †Isectolophinae Isectolophus Schizolophodon †Ancylopoda See Ancylopoda Ceratomorpha Tapiroidea †Deperetellidae Bahinolophus Deperetella Irenolophus Teleolophus †Helaletidae Colodon Dilophodon Helaletes Heptodon Heteraletes Paracolodon Plesiocolopirus Thuliadanta? Vastanolophus Tapiridae †Eotapirus †Miotapirus †Nexuotapirus †Paratapirus †Plesiotapirus †Protapirus †Tapiravus Tapirus Rhinocerotoidea See below↓
Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotoidea sensu lato †Breviodon †Fouchia †Minchenoletes †Siamolophus †Triplopus †Yimengia †Indolophidae Indolophus Rhinocerotoidea sensu stricto †Selenaletes †Hyrachyidae Hyrachyus †Eggysodontidae Allacerops Eggysodon Guangnanodon Proeggysodon †Hyracodontidae Ardynia Ephyrachyus Epitriplophus Hyracodon Prohyracodon Rhodopagus Triplopides †Amynodontidae Amynodontopsis Armania Cadurcotherium Caenolophus Huananodon Hypsamynodon Procadurcodon Rostriamynodon Teilhardia †Amynodontinae Amynodon †Cadurcodontini Cadurcodon Lushiamynodon Sharamynodon Sianodon †Metamynodontini Gigantamynodon Megalamynodon Metamynodon Paramynodon Zaisanamynodon †Paraceratheriidae †Forstercooperiinae Forstercooperia Gobicerops Pappaceras †Paraceratheriinae Aralotherium Dzungarotherium Juxia Paraceratherium Urtinotherium Rhinocerotidae See below↓
Rhinocerotidae Rhinocerotidae †Amphicaenopus †Epiaceratherium †Guixia †Teletaceras †Uintaceras †Woodoceras †Aceratheriinae Aceratherium Acerorhinus Alicornops Aphelops Chilotheridium Chilotherium Floridaceras Galushaceras Hoploaceratherium Mesaceratherium Peraceras Persiatherium Plesiaceratherium Ronzotherium Shansirhinus Sinorhinus Subchilotherium †Elasmotheriinae Gulfoceras Victoriaceros †Diceratheriini Diceratherium Penetrigonias Skinneroceras Subhyracodon Trigonias †Elasmotheriini Bugtirhinus Caementodon Elasmotherium Hispanotherium Iranotherium Kenyatherium Meninatherium Menoceras Ninxiatherium Ningxiatherium Ougandatherium Parelasmotherium Procoelodonta Sinotherium Tongxinotherium Rhinocerotinae †Dromoceratherium †Lartetotherium †Molassitherium †Protaceratherium †Teleoceratini Aprotodon Brachydiceratherium Brachypotherium Diaceratherium Prosantorhinus Shennongtherium Teleoceras Rhinocerotina Dicerorhinini †Coelodonta Dicerorhinus †Dihoplus †Pliorhinus †Stephanorhinus Dicerotini Ceratotherium Diceros †Miodiceros †Paradiceros Rhinocerotini †Gaindatherium †Nesorhinus Rhinoceros †Rusingaceros

v t e Brontotheriidae
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Synapsida Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla Suborder: Hippomorpha
Basal brontotheres	Danjiangia Eotitanops Lambdotherium Mulkrajanops Pakotitanops Palaeosyops
Brontotheriinae	Acrotitan Arctotitan Bunobrontops Desmatotitan Dolichorhinus Fossendorhinus Hyotitan Mesatirhinus Metarhinus Metatelmatherium Microtitan Nanotitanops Pygmaetitan Qufutitan Sphenocoelus Sthenodectes Telmatherium Brontotheriini Diplacodon Protitan Protitanotherium Rhinotitan Pachytitan Brachydiastematherium Sivatitanops Embolotheriina Aktautitan Embolotherium Gnathotitan Maobrontops Metatitan Nasamplus Protembolotherium Brontotheriina Diantotitan Duchesneodus Epimanteoceras Eubrontotherium Megacerops Notiotitanops Parabrontops Parvicornus Protitanops

• Brontotheres
• Eocene mammals of Asia
• Fossils of Mongolia
• Fossils of China
• Taxa named by Henry Fairfield Osborn
• Brontotheres of Asia
• Fossil taxa described in 1929