Anthracotheria
|an-thra-co-the-ri-a|
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/ˌænθrəkoʊˈθɪəriə/
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/ˌænθrəkəˈθɪəriə/
hippo-like extinct artiodactyls
Etymology
'Anthracotheria' originates from New Latin (scientific usage), ultimately from Greek ἄνθραξ 'ánthrax' meaning 'coal' and θηρίον 'thēríon' meaning 'wild beast', with the suffix '-ia' used to form the name of a taxonomic group.
'Anthracotheria' was formed in 19th-century scientific Latin from the genus name 'Anthracotherium' (coined for fossil remains often found in coal or coal-bearing deposits); that genus name combined Greek elements and later gave rise to the higher-group name 'Anthracotheria'.
Originally the components referred literally to 'coal beasts' (because of fossil occurrences); over time the term came to denote the entire taxonomic group of related extinct mammals rather than just the fossil circumstances.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an extinct group of artiodactyl (even-toed) mammals, often semi-aquatic and hippopotamus-like, known from the Eocene through the Pliocene; regarded as a distinct taxonomic assemblage (Anthracotheria) including multiple genera and species.
Anthracotheria included species that resembled modern hippopotamuses and occupied wetlands in Eurasia and Africa.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/10 01:37