Uintatherium is an extinct
genus of mammals.
Fossil remains were discovered near
Fort Bridger, Wyoming. This was a large browsing animal, about the size of a
rhinoceros. What was most unusual about Uintatherium was its
skull which was large and strongly built. Uintaterium had a flat, concave skull - a feature not found in any other mammal, save, perhaps in some brontotheres. Its
cranial cavity was exceptionally small due the walls of the cranium being tremendously thick. The weight of the skull was mitigated by numerous
sinuses permeating the walls of the cranium, like those in an
elephant's skull. The large upper
canines were apparently formidable defensive weapons, which resembled the
canines of the
saber-toothed cats and were larger in males than in females.. The
skulls of the males bore six prominent knob-like
ossicones which grew from the frontal region of the skull. The function of these structures is unknown. They may have been of use for defense or sexual display. Uintatherium lived during the early to middle portions of the
Eocene period (45-40 million years ago). It was an herbivore, eating leaves, grasses and shrubs. Uinthaterium lived near water and used its sabre-like canines to pluc the aquatic and marsh plants which compried its diet. It became extinct by climatic changes and competition with
brontotheres, and true and hyrachodont rhinocerii without leaving any descendants.
See more at Wikipedia.org...