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Barytheriidae
Barytherids
2
Number of resurrected species:
Family
Order
Class
Barytheriidae
Proboscidea
Mammalia
Description
The Barytheriidae are the first large members of the Proboscideans, otherwise known as the elephants and relatives. They were fairy large in size, possible had small trunks and lived in aquatic habitats like swamps, rivers and coastal areas. They likely fed on aquatic plants. The Barytheriidae also had a strong sexual dimorphism, as in males being larger than females.
Distribution & Fossil evidence
Fossils of the Barytheriidae-family have been found in North Africa and Arabia and date back all the way to the Eocene and Oligocene epoch, roughly about 56 - 23 million years ago. Fossils have been found in Egypt, Libya and Oman.
Species
Currently, there are two species known within this family, being Barytherium and Omanitherium.
Included genera
Omanitherium, Barytherium
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