hyracotherium

enUK

hy·ra·co·ther·i·um

H5395700 (hī′rə-kō-thîr′ē-əm)n. A small herbivorous equid of the genus Hyracotherium (syn. Eohippus) of the Eocene Epoch, having an arched back, relatively short neck, four-toed front feet, and three-toed hind feet.

[New Latin Hyracothērium, genus name : hyrax, hyrac-, hyrax (from certain shared skeletal characteristics); see hyrax + Greek thērion, wild beast; see treacle.]

hy·ra·co·the·ri·um

(hī′rə-kō-thîr′ē-əm) Plural hyracotheria A small primitive horse that lived about 50 million years ago during the early Eocene Epoch. It had three or four hoofed toes on each foot and is sometimes considered the ancestor of modern horses. It is sometimes called the "dawn horse," a translation of its earlier scientific name, Eohippus.

Thesaurus

Noun

Hyracotherium - extinct horse genus; formerly called eohippusgenus Hyracotheriummammal genus - a genus of mammalsEquidae, family Equidae - horses; asses; zebras; extinct animalsdawn horse, eohippus - earliest horse; extinct primitive dog-sized four-toed Eocene animal

Hyracotherium

the most ancient representative of the fossil horse, from the Lower Eocene. It was the size of a fox and had short legs. The front legs had four toes and the rear had three. The snout was short with the eye sockets located in the front part of the skull, not shifted back as in the later horses. The molars were low, tuberculate, and simple in shape. The hyracotheriùm lived in forests and ate small plants, primarily grass and shoots. Its remains have been found in Western Europe and North America.

hyracotherium

hy·ra·co·ther·i·um

hy·ra·co·the·ri·um

Hyracotherium

Hyracotherium

Hyracotherium

Synonyms for Hyracotherium

noun extinct horse genus

Synonyms

Related Words