Sinotherium is a large elasmotheriine rhinoceros which dwelled in the steppes of Asia in the Late Miocene approximately 7 million years ago. It has been proposed to be the ancestor of the Elasmotherium genus. Sinotherium lagrelii represents the genus in-game. It is an alternate genus to Elasmotherium.
It was added to Prehistoric Kingdom in Update 10.
In-Game[]
Description[]
Sinotherium is similar in build to its ice age relative, Elasmotherium, save for its lack of dense fur. They both resemble their modern rhinoceros relatives in most aspects, though as members of the extinct Elasmotheriinae their horns are placed further back rather than at the nose. Males are generally larger than females in both Sinotherium and Elasmotherium.
Management[]
To be announced.
In-Game Trivia[]
Nigel Marven
What you're looking at is a “missing link” - well, kind of! While evolution doesn't work like a linear chain, transitional species like Sinotherium here help us understand changes that occur between related species with different characteristics.
Nigel Marven
The position of Sinotherium's horn marks a transitional stage in the evolution from its nose-horned ancestors to Elasmotherium, its forehead-horned descendant!
Paleontology[]
Sinotherium lived in the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene of Asia. It has been proposed that Sinotherium was the ancestor of what would one day become Elasmotherium. Sinotherium lagrelli is known specifically from the Late Miocene of the Gansu Province of China, living around 7 million years ago. Analysis of the vegetation of the Liushu Formation rocks where it was found suggest that the area was a subarid to arid steppe environment with abundant grasses.
The horn of Sinotherium povides an insight into the evolution of later more derived Elasmotheres, as its horn is positioned between the original nasal-horned condition seen in animals such as Ningxiatherium and the later forehead or "frontal"-horned condition present in Elasmotherium. Sinotherium's horn is positioned between the nasal and the frontal bones, making it a "naso-frontal horn".
Paleoecology[]
As an inhabitant of grassy steppe environments Sinotherium likely was an astute grazer. While on the steppe Sinotherium would have coexisted with a number of animals including cats such as Amphimachairodus, hyenas, bears, chalicotheres, horses, giraffes, deer and a number of bovids including the bizarre Tsaidamotherium.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Sinotherium's skin's name "Jade" may seem out of place due to the notable lack of green on this rhinoceros, but the mineral jade has historically been found in the Chinese Gansu province, the same region from which Sinotherium fossils have been found.
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