Image: Hyracotherium vasacciense (fossil horse) (Huerfano Formation, Lower Eocene; Huerfano Basin, Colorado, USA) 3 (32380466091)

Description: Hyracotherium vasacciense Cope, 1872 - fossil horse skull from the Eocene of Colorado, USA. (public display, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA) (based on AMNH specimens - American Museum of Natural History, New York City, New York, USA) This species is also known as Eohippus angustidens. From museum signage: "Popularly known as Eohippus or the dawn horse, Hyracotherium is the earliest known member of the horse family. However, with its small head, arched back, long tail, and spreading feet, the tiny Hyracotherium didn’t look much like the horse as we know it! Standing only two feet high, Hyracotherium roamed North America and Europe, 55 million years ago. Its low-crowned teeth were designed for eating the soft leaves of the abundant Eocene tropical forest. The size and complexity of Hyracotherium’s brain suggests the animal was relatively intelligent. This may help to explain the lengthy survival of of the horse through time. " Classification: Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Equidae Stratigraphy: Huerfano Formation, Lower Eocene Locality: Huerfano Basin, Huerfano County, southern Colorado, USA See info. at: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eohippus" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eohippus</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equidae" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equidae</a>
Title: Hyracotherium vasacciense (fossil horse) (Huerfano Formation, Lower Eocene; Huerfano Basin, Colorado, USA) 3 (32380466091)
Credit: Hyracotherium vasacciense (fossil horse) (Huerfano Formation, Lower Eocene; Huerfano Basin, Colorado, USA) 3
Author: James St. John
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
License: CC BY 2.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
Attribution Required?: Yes