Name:
Merychippus (Greek for "ruminant horse"); pronounced MEH-ree-CHIP-us
Habitat:
Plains of North America
Historical Epoch:
Late Miocene (17-10 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 6 feet tall and 1,000 pounds
Diet:
Plants
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Large size; vestigial side toes on front and hind feet
About Merychippus:
Merychippus was something of a watershed in equine evolution: this was the first prehistoric horse to bear a marked resemblance to modern horses, although it was slightly bigger and still had vestigial toes on either side of its feet (these toes didn't reach the ground, though, so Merychippus still would have run in a recognizably horselike way). Paleontologists believe that all prehistoric horses after the late Miocene epoch, including Hipparion and Hippidion, evolved directly from Merychippus. (By the way, the name of this genus, "ruminant horse," is a bit of a mistake; true ruminants have extra stomachs and chew cuds, like cows.)
