Anoplotheriidae is an extinctfamily of artiodactyl ungulates. They were endemic to Europe during the Eocene and Oligocene epochs about 44—30 million years ago. Its name is derived from the Шаблон:Lang-grc ("unarmed")[1] and θήριον ("beast"),[2] translating as "unarmed beast".
Species of Anoplotheriidae varied substantially in size. Diplobune minor is suggested to have weighted about Шаблон:Cvt,[3] while Anoplotherium is suggested to have been up to Шаблон:Cvt in weight.[4]Anoplotherium is thought to have been a browser that reared up on its hind legs to feed,[5] while Diplobune is suggested to have been an arboreal climbing animal.[3]
Systematics and taxonomy
The family Anoplotheriidae was assigned to Belluae by Bonaparte (who named it Anoplotheriina) in 1850; to Artiodactyla by Cope in 1889, to Ruminantia by Gregory in 1910, and finally to its own superfamilyAnoplotherioidea by Romer in 1966.[6][7][8] A 2019 study considered them to be closely related to Cainotheriidae, another group of endemic European artiodactyls, with this group in turn being related to ruminants,[9] while a 2020 study found them to be more closely related to the also European endemic Xiphodontidae, again as relatives of ruminants.[10]
