Paraceratherium is a large herbivorous mammal that lived in Eurasia during the Paleogene Period. Two species, P. bugtiense and P. transouralicum, are found in Prehistoric Kingdom. It is the base genus for Juxia.
Paraceratherium is a large herbivorous mammal that lived in Eurasia during the Paleogene Period. Two species, P. bugtiense and P. transouralicum, are found in Prehistoric Kingdom. It is the base genus for Juxia.
In-Game[]
Description[]
Paraceratherium is a massive quadrupedal mammal that possesses long legs and a long neck. Despite its alien appearance, the animal bears subtle clues of its close relation to rhinoceroses, such as its triangular upper lip, the way it flips its ears, and its rhinoceros-like skin. P. bugtiense's skin texture in particular bears a resemblance to the "armor" skin folds seen in Indian Rhinoceroses, while its skin patterning is much like that of the Indian Elephant. These design elements not only reflect the sort of environments this particular species of Paraceratherium was inhabiting, but also its geographic origins as P. bugtiense originates from India.
Management[]
To be announced.
In-Game Trivia[]
Nigel Marven
Paraceratherium may look totally alien at first, but look again! You'll notice the resemblance to its modern relative, the rhinoceros!
Nigel Marven
Ever since the extinction of the Northern White Rhino, people have wondered whether the same technology that revived Paraceratherium could be used for rhino conservation. Unfortunately, such an effort is wasted without diverse genetic material. Low genetic diversity is not so much of a problem for animals that can't be released, like ours, but a wild population of revived rhinos would suffer from a genetic bottleneck.
Nigel Marven
Although it lacks the large horns of keratin we expect from rhinos, the face of Paraceratherium still shares many features with them. Particularly noteworthy is that triangular upper lip, a prehensile structure that helps them manipulate their food.
Nigel Marven
While a rhinoceros's smile could be considered rather unpleasant, the teeth of Paraceratherium make its smile something to behold! Beneath that long upper lip are two sets of tusks that point at odd angles from each jaw, making them look like they seriously need a visit from the dentist.
Paleontology[]
The second largest terrestrial mammal found so far, only surpassed by Palaeoloxodon namadicus (although the specimen reported to be this size has since been lost, and its measurements have been called into question), Paraceratherium was an odd-toed ungulate, with its closest living relatives being rhinos and tapirs. Its fossils have been found in China, Pakistan, Mongolia, India, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania, showing that this was a very widespread animal.
Paraceratherium was named in 1911 by Sir Clive Forster Cooper, and its name means "Near the Hornless Beast".
Paleoecology[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Paraceratherium is the largest mammal found in Prehistoric Kingdom.
- Paraceratherium (under the now synonymous name Baluchitherium) has been credited by the creators of the iconic AT-AT Walkers from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back as the inspiration for its hulking four legged design.
- This resemblance between the AT-AT and Paraceratherium is made even more apparent when looking at now outdated reconstructions from the time, which depicted the animal with a flat posture nearly identical to the posture the walkers take in the film and other media featuring the machines.
- The more modern look of Paraceratherium has also been cited as an inspiration for another Star Wars creature known as a Ronto, which bares the more vertical neck and a head shaped much like its prehistoric counterpart. Unlike Paraceratherium however, the Ronto is a reptilian animal, and was in fact an edited version of the Jurassic Park Brachiosaurus CGI model when it was first put to screen in the Star Wars Special Editions.
- It is one of many paleontological inspirations in the Star Wars franchise, which has used everything from pterosaurs to Apatosaurus vertebrae, and even fellow extinct rhino Elasmotherium to craft its creatures and machines.
- Paraceratherium transouralicum, one of the species present in Prehistoric Kingdom, is a synonym of Indricotherium transouralicum which itself is a synonym of Paraceratherium asiaticum.
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