PBDB Taxon

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Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	External Literature Search	Age range and collections

Brontotheriidae (brontothere)

Mammalia - Perissodactyla - Brontotheriidae

Taxonomy

Brontotheridae was named by Marsh (1873). Its type is Brontotherium.

It was corrected as Brontotheriidae by Hay (1902), Schlaikjer (1935), Prothero and Schoch (1989), Mihlbachler (2008), Mihlbachler (2011) and Missiaen et al. (2011).

It was assigned to Hippomorpha by Ferrusquia-Villafranca (1969); to Brontotherioidea by Hay (1902), Schlaikjer (1935) and Prothero and Schoch (1989); to Titanotheriomorpha by Carroll (1988) and Hooker and Dashzeveg (2004); and to Perissodactyla by Dehm and Oettingen-Spielberg (1958), Kumar and Sahni (1985), Mihlbachler (2008), Mihlbachler (2011) and Missiaen et al. (2011).

Subtaxa

Balochititanops, Brontopinae, Brontotheriinae, Danjiangia, Embolotheriinae, Eotitanopinae, Epimanteoceratinae, Lambdotherium, Menodontidae, Metatelmatherium, Mulkrajanops, Pakotitanops, Palaeosyopinae, Sivatitanops, Sthenodectes, Xylotitan

Sister taxa

Menodontidae

Synonyms

Titanotheriidae is a family. It is not extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Brontotheriidae by Hay (1902); it was synonymized subjectively with Brontotheridae by Mader (1989) and Mader (1998).

It was assigned to Perissodactyla by Flower and Lydekker (1891) and Lambe (1908); and to Chelodactyla by Scott (1913).
Menodontidae was named by Cope (1881).

It was synonymized subjectively with Brontotheriidae by Hay (1902) and Mihlbachler (2008).

It was assigned to Perissodactyla by Cope (1881).
Brontopinae was named by Osborn (1914).

It was considered an invalid subgroup of Brontotheriidae by Mihlbachler (2008).

It was assigned to Brontotheridae by Ferrusquia-Villafranca (1969).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1873	Brontotheridae Marsh p. 486
1881	Menodontidae Cope p. 396
1891	Titanotheriidae Flower and Lydekker p. 90
1902	Brontotheriidae Hay p. 629
1908	Titanotheriidae Lambe
1913	Titanotheriidae Scott p. 291
1914	Brontopinae Osborn p. 405
1935	Brontotheriidae Schlaikjer p. 83
1958	Brontotheridae Dehm and Oettingen-Spielberg p. 21
1969	Brontopinae Ferrusquia-Villafranca
1969	Brontotheridae Ferrusquia-Villafranca
1985	Brontotheridae Kumar and Sahni p. 153
1988	Brontotheridae Carroll
1989	Brontotheriidae Prothero and Schoch p. 536
2004	Brontotheridae Hooker and Dashzeveg p. 1379
2008	Brontotheriidae Mihlbachler p. 19
2011	Brontotheriidae Mihlbachler p. 203
2011	Brontotheriidae Missiaen et al. p. 667

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
subclass	Synapsida
—	Therapsida	()

Rank	Name	Author
infraorder	Cynodontia	()
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes
class	Mammalia
—	Cladotheria
—	Zatheria
subclass	Tribosphenida	()
subclass	Theria
—	Eutheria	()
—	Placentalia
—	Boreoeutheria
—	Laurasiatheria
—	Scrotifera
—	Euungulata
—	Panperissodactyla
superorder	Perissodactylamorpha
order	Perissodactyla	()
family	Brontotheriidae	()
family	Brontotheriidae	()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. †Brontotheriidae Marsh 1873 [brontothere]

show all | hide all

G. †Balochititanops Missiaen et al. 2011

†Balochititanops haqi Missiaen et al. 2011

Subfm. †Brontotheriinae Marsh 1873

G. †Acrotitan Ye 1983

†Acrotitan ulanshirehensis Ye 1983

Tr. †Brontotheriini Marsh 1873

Subtr. †Brontotheriina Marsh 1873

Unr. †Brontotheriita Marsh 1873

G. †Dianotitan Chow et al. 1974

†Dianotitan lunanensis Chow and Hu 1959

G. †Duchesneodus Lucas and Schoch 1982

†Duchesneodus uintensis Peterson 1931

G. †Eubrontotherium Mihlbachler 2007

†Eubrontotherium clarnoensis Mihlbachler 2007

G. †Megacerops Leidy 1870

†Megacerops acer Cope 1873

Invalid names: Symborodon altirostris Cope 1873 [synonym]

†Megacerops assiniboiensis Lambe 1908

†Megacerops bucco Cope 1873

†Megacerops coloradensis Leidy 1870

Invalid names: Brontotherium gigas Marsh 1873 [synonym], Brontotherium hatcheri Osborn 1908 [synonym], Brontotherium ingens Marsh 1874 [synonym], Brontotherium leidyi Osborn 1902 [synonym], Brontotherium platyceras Scott and Osborn 1887 [synonym]

†Megacerops copei Osborn 1908

†Megacerops curtus Marsh 1887

Invalid names: Menodus peltoceras Cope 1891 [synonym]

†Megacerops elatus Marsh 1887

†Megacerops kuwagatarhinus Mader and Alexander 1995

†Megacerops osborni Schlaikjer 1935

†Megacerops riggsi Osborn 1916

†Megacerops syceras Cope 1889

Invalid names: Allops Marsh 1887 [synonym], Ateleodon Schlaikjer 1935 [synonym], Brontops Marsh 1887 [synonym], Brontotherium Marsh 1873 [synonym], Diploclonus Marsh 1890 [synonym], Haplacodon Cope 1889 [synonym], Megaceratops Cope 1873 [synonym], Menodus Pomel 1848 [synonym], Menops Marsh 1887 [synonym], Symborodon Cope 1873 [synonym], Teleodus Marsh 1890 [synonym], Titanops Marsh 1887 [synonym], Titanotherium Leidy 1852 [synonym]

G. †Notiotitanops Gazin and Sullivan 1942

†Notiotitanops mississippiensis Gazin and Sullivan 1942

G. †Parabrontops Granger and Gregory 1943

†Parabrontops gobiensis Osborn 1925

†Parabrontops lunanensis Chow and Hu 1959

G. †Parvicornus Mihlbachler and Deméré 2009

†Parvicornus occidentalis Mihlbachler and Deméré 2009

G. †Protitanops Stock 1936

†Protitanops curryi Stock 1936

Invalid names: Duchesneodus californicus Stock 1935 [nomen dubium], Duchesneodus primitivum Lambe 1908 [nomen dubium], Duchesneodus thyboi Bjork 1967 [nomen dubium]

G. †Diplacodon Marsh 1875

†Diplacodon elatus Marsh 1875

Invalid names: Diplacodon progressum Peterson 1934 [synonym], Eotitanotherium osborni Peterson 1914 [synonym]

†Diplacodon emarginatus Hatcher 1895

†Diplacodon gigan Mihlbachler 2011

Invalid names: Eotitanotherium Peterson 1914 [synonym], Pseudodiplacodon Mader 2000 [synonym]

G. †Epimanteoceras Granger and Gregory 1943

†Epimanteoceras formosus Granger and Gregory 1943

Invalid names: Dolichorhinoides angustidens Granger and Gregory 1943 [synonym]

†Epimanteoceras mae Li 2018

Invalid names: Epimanteoceras amplus Yanovskaya 1976 [nomen dubium], Epimanteoceras praecursor Yanovskaya 1953 [nomen dubium]

G. †Pachytitan Granger and Gregory 1943

†Pachytitan ajax Granger and Gregory 1943

G. †Protitan Granger and Gregory 1943

†Protitan bellus Granger and Gregory 1943

†Protitan grangeri Osborn 1925

Invalid names: Dolichorhinus olseni Osborn 1925 [synonym]

†Protitan minor Granger and Gregory 1943

†Protitan obliquidens Granger and Gregory 1943

†Protitan reshetovi Yanovskaya 1980

†Protitan robustus Granger and Gregory 1943

Invalid names: Protitan cingulatus Granger and Gregory 1943 [nomen dubium], Protitan major Huang and Zheng 2004 [nomen dubium]

G. †Rhinotitan Granger and Gregory 1943

†Rhinotitan andrewsi Osborn 1925

†Rhinotitan kaiseni Osborn 1925

Invalid names: Rhinotitan mongoliensis Osborn 1923 [nomen dubium], Rhinotitan orientalis Yanovskaya 1957 [nomen dubium], Rhinotitan quadridens Xu and Chiu 1962 [nomen dubium], Sivatitanops rugosidens Pilgrim 1925 [nomen dubium]

G. †Microtitan Granger and Gregory 1943

†Microtitan mongoliensis Osborn 1925

Invalid names: Microtitan elongatus Qi 1987 [nomen dubium]

G. †Nanotitanops Qi and Beard 1998

†Nanotitanops shanghuangensis Qi and Beard 1998

Invalid names: Nanotitan shanghuangensis Qi and Beard 1996 [replaced]

Invalid names: Nanotitan Qi and Beard 1996 [synonym]

Subtr. †Telmatheriina Osborn 1914

G. †Qufutitan Wang and Wang 1997

†Qufutitan zhoui Wang and Wang 1997

G. †Wickia Mihlbachler 2008

†Wickia brevirhinus Mihlbachler 2008

Invalid names: Metatelmatheriinae Granger and Gregory 1943 [synonym]

G. †Bunobrontops Holroyd and Ciochon 2000

†Bunobrontops savagei Holroyd and Ciochon 2000

G. †Desmatotitan Granger and Gregory 1943

†Desmatotitan tukhumensis Granger and Gregory 1943

Tr. †Dolichorhinini Riggs 1912

G. †Mesatirhinus Osborn 1908

†Mesatirhinus megarhinus Earle 1891

Invalid names: Mesatirhinus petersoni Osborn 1908 [synonym]

Invalid names: Mesatirhinus junius Leidy 1872 [nomen dubium]

G. †Sphenocoelus Osborn 1895

†Sphenocoelus hyognathus Osborn 1889

Invalid names: Dolichorhinus longiceps Douglass 1909 [synonym], Sphenocoelus cornutum Osborn 1895 [synonym]

†Sphenocoelus intermedius Osborn 1908

Invalid names: Dolichorhinus fluminalis Riggs 1912 [synonym], Dolichorhinus heterodon Douglass 1909 [synonym], Mesatirhinus superior Riggs 1912 [synonym]

†Sphenocoelus uintensis Osborn 1895

Invalid names: Sphenocoelus blairi Cook 1926 [synonym], Sphenocoelus bridgeri Cook 1926 [synonym], Sphenocoelus harundivoras Cook 1926 [synonym]

Invalid names: Dolichorhinoides Granger and Gregory 1943 [synonym], Dolichorhinus Hatcher 1895 [synonym], Tanyorhinus Cook 1926 [synonym]

Invalid names: Rhadinorhininae Osborn 1929 [synonym]

Unr. †Embolotheriita Osborn 1929

G. †Aktautitan Mihlbachler et al. 2004

†Aktautitan hippopotamopus Mihlbachler et al. 2004

G. †Brachydiastematherium Bockh and Maty 1876

†Brachydiastematherium transylvanicum Bockh and Maty 1876

G. †Embolotherium Osborn 1929

†Embolotherium andrewsi Osborn 1929

†Embolotherium grangeri Osborn 1929

Invalid names: Embolotherium insigne Yanovskaya 1980 [synonym], Embolotherium loucksii Osborn 1929 [synonym], Titanodectes ingens Granger and Gregory 1943 [synonym], Titanodectes minor Granger and Gregory 1943 [synonym]

†Embolotherium ultimum Granger and Gregory 1943

G. †Gnathotitan Granger and Gregory 1943

†Gnathotitan berkeyi Osborn 1925

G. †Maobrontops Averianov et al. 2018

†Maobrontops paganus Averianov et al. 2018

G. †Metatitan Granger and Gregory 1943

†Metatitan khaitshinus Yanovskaya 1954

Invalid names: Metatitan reshetovi Yanovskaya 1980 [synonym]

†Metatitan primus Granger and Gregory 1943

†Metatitan relictus Granger and Gregory 1943

Invalid names: Protitan khaitshinus Yanovskaya 1980 [synonym]

G. †Nasamplus Mihlbachler 2008

†Nasamplus progressus Granger and Gregory 1943

G. †Pollyosbornia Mihlbachler 2008

†Pollyosbornia altidens Osborn 1908

G. †Protembolotherium Yanovskaya 1954

†Protembolotherium efremovi Yanovskaya 1954

G. †Pygmaetitan Miao 1982

†Pygmaetitan panxianensis Miao 1982

G. †Metarhinus Osborn 1908

†Metarhinus abbotti Riggs 1912

†Metarhinus diploconus Osborn 1895

Invalid names: Rhadinorhinus abbotti Riggs 1912 [synonym]

†Metarhinus fluviatilis Osborn 1908

Invalid names: Metarhinus riparius Riggs 1912 [synonym]

†Metarhinus pater Stock 1937

Invalid names: Heterotitanops Peterson 1914 [synonym], Metarhinus cristatus Riggs 1912 [nomen dubium], Metarhinus earlei Osborn 1908 [nomen dubium], Rhadinorhinus Riggs 1912 [synonym], Telmatherium accola Cook 1926 [nomen dubium], Telmatherium advocata Cook 1926 [nomen dubium]

G. †Protitanotherium Osborn 1908

†Protitanotherium emarginatum Hatcher 1895

Invalid names: Protitanotherium superbum Osborn 1908 [synonym], Sthenodectes australis Wilson 1977 [synonym]

Invalid names: Protitanotherium koreanicum Takai 1939 [nomen dubium]

G. †Telmatherium Marsh 1872

†Telmatherium megarhinum Earle 1891

†Telmatherium validum Marsh 1872

†Telmatherium validus Marsh 1872

Invalid names: Telmatherium cultridens Osborn et al. 1878 [synonym], Telmatherium manteoceras Osborn in Matthew 1899 [synonym], Telmatherium washakiensis Osborn 1908 [synonym]

Invalid names: Leurocephalus Osborn et al. 1878 [synonym], Manteoceras Hatcher 1895 [synonym], Telmatotherium Marsh 1872 [synonym]

G. †Danjiangia Wang 1995

†Danjiangia lambdodon Bai et al. 2018

†Danjiangia pingi Wang 1995

Subfm. †Embolotheriinae Osborn 1929

G. †Titanodectes Granger and Gregory 1943

Subfm. †Eotitanopinae Osborn 1913

G. †Eotitanops Osborn 1907

†Eotitanops borealis Cope 1880

Invalid names: Eotitanops brownianus Cope 1881 [synonym], Eotitanops major Osborn 1913 [synonym], Eotitanops princeps Osborn 1913 [synonym]

†Eotitanops dayi Dehm and Oettingen-Spielberg 1958

†Eotitanops gregoryi Osborn 1913

Invalid names: Eotitanops minimus Osborn 1919 [synonym]

†Eotitanops pakistanensis Missiaen et al. 2011

G. †Lambdotherium Cope 1880

†Lambdotherium popoagicum Cope 1880

Invalid names: Lambdotherium magnum Osborn 1919 [synonym], Lambdotherium primaevum Loomis 1907 [synonym], Lambdotherium priscum Osborn 1913 [synonym], Lambdotherium progressum Osborn 1913 [synonym]

G. †Metatelmatherium Granger and Gregory 1938

†Metatelmatherium cristatum Granger and Gregory 1938

†Metatelmatherium ultimum Osborn 1908

Invalid names: Manteoceras uintensis Douglass 1909 [synonym]

Invalid names: Metatelmatherium lahirii Pilgrim 1925 [nomen dubium], Metatelmatherium parvum Granger and Gregory 1943 [nomen dubium]

G. †Mulkrajanops Kumar and Sahni 1985

†Mulkrajanops moghliensis Kumar and Sahni 1985

†Mulkrajanops mogliensis Kumar and Sahni 1985

G. †Pakotitanops West 1980

†Pakotitanops latidentatus West 1980

Subfm. †Palaeosyopinae Steinmann and Döderlein 1890

G. †Palaeosyops Leidy 1870

†Palaeosyops fontinalis Cope 1873

Invalid names: Eometarhinus huerfanensis Osborn 1919 [synonym]

†Palaeosyops junius Leidy 1873

†Palaeosyops manteoceras Osborn in Matthew 1899

†Palaeosyops paludosus Leidy 1870

Invalid names: Canis marshii Hay 1899 [synonym], Limnohyops matthewi Osborn 1908 [synonym], Palaeosyops humilis Leidy 1872 [synonym], Palaeosyops laevidens Cope 1873 [synonym], Palaeosyops longirostris Earle 1892 [synonym], Palaeosyops major Leidy 1871 [synonym], Palaeosyops minor Marsh 1871 [synonym], Palaeosyops minor Earle 1891 [synonym], Palaeosyops priscus Osborn 1908 [synonym]

†Palaeosyops robustus Marsh 1872

Invalid names: Palaeosyops copei Osborn 1908 [synonym], Palaeosyops diaconus Cope 1873 [synonym], Palaeosyops grangeri Osborn 1908 [synonym], Palaeosyops laticeps Leidy 1872 [synonym], Palaeosyops leidyi Osborn 1908 [synonym]

Invalid names: Eometarhinus Osborn 1919 [synonym], Limnohyops Marsh 1890 [synonym], Limnohyus Marsh 1872 [synonym], Palaeosyops ultimus Matthew 1897 [nomen nudum]

G. †Sivatitanops Pilgrim 1925

†Sivatitanops cotteri Pilgrim 1925

Invalid names: Sivatitanops birmanicum Pilgrim and Cotter 1916 [nomen dubium]

G. †Sthenodectes Gregory 1912

†Sthenodectes incisivum Douglass 1909

Invalid names: Sthenodectes priscus Peterson 1934 [synonym]

G. †Xylotitan Mihlbachler and Samuels 2016

†Xylotitan cenosus Mihlbachler and Samuels 2016

Invalid names: Brontopinae Osborn 1914 [invalid subgroup], Epimanteoceratinae Granger and Gregory 1943 [empty], Menodontidae Cope 1881 [invalid subgroup], Titanotheriidae [synonym]

Diagnosis

No diagnoses are available

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

terrestrialsubc

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Life habit:

ground dwellingf

Diet:

browserf

Reproduction:

viviparoussubc

Created:

2005-08-31 14:53:16

Modified:

2005-08-31 16:53:16

Source: f = family, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum

References: Hendy et al. 2009, Ji et al. 2002, Mader 1998, Lillegraven 1979, Carroll 1988

Age range: base of the Lysitean to the top of the Late/Upper Oligocene or 55.80000 to 23.03000 Ma

Collections (465 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Oldest occurrences
Ypresian	56.0 - 47.8	India (Jammu and Kashmir)	Mulkrajanops maghliensis (45588)
Ypresian	56.0 - 47.8	Pakistan (Balochistan)	Eotitanops pakistanensis (112721) Eotitanops pakistanensis, Balochititanops haqi (112719 112723)
Ypresian - Lutetian	56.0 - 41.3	China (Nei Mongol)	Brontotheriidae indet. (207631)
Irdinmanhan	56.0 - 37.71	China (Nei Mongol)	Metatelmatherium cristatum (72183) Protitanotherium mongoliense (109067)
Sharamurunian	56.0 - 37.71	China (Shanxi)	Protitanotherium mongoliense (42193) Protitanotherium mongoliense, Rhinotitan mongoliensis (42194) Rhinotitan mongoliensis (42198)
Sharamurunian	56.0 - 37.71	Russian Federation	Rhinotitan orientalis (192038)
Sharamurunian	56.0 - 37.71	China (Henan)	Protitanotherium mongoliense (41120)
Eocene	56.0 - 33.9	China (shaanxi)	Arctotitan hongoensis (42687)
Lostcabinian	55.8 - 50.3	USA (Wyoming)	Eotitanops borealis, Lambdotherium popoagicum (15998 15999) Lambdotherium popoagicum (15901 15903 15915 15917 15930 15945 15997 16005 16068 16073 16078) Lambdotherium sp. (124856 124857)
Lysitean	55.8 - 50.3	USA (Colorado)	Lambdotherium popoagicum (15654)
Youngest occurrences
Time interval	Ma	Country or state	PBDB collection number
Late/Upper Eocene	37.2 - 33.9	China (Guizhou)	Pygmaetitan panxianensis (188311)
Late/Upper Eocene	37.2 - 33.9	China (Yunnan)	Brontotheriidae indet. (182580)
Middle Chadronian	37.2 - 33.9	Canada (Saskatchewan)	Brontotheriidae indet. (16928)
Middle Chadronian - Late/Upper Chadronian	37.2 - 33.9	USA (Colorado)	Megacerops sp. (156988)
Ulangochuian	37.2 - 33.9	China (Nei Mongol)	Embolotherium andrewsi (73810) Embolotherium grangeri (73809) Embolotherium loucksii (73811) Embolotherium sp. (73808)
Chadronian - Orellan	37.2 - 33.3	USA (Wyoming)	Brontotheriidae indet. (16993)
Late/Upper Eocene - Early/Lower Oligocene	37.2 - 28.4	China (shaanxi)	Brontotheriidae indet. (42749)
Late/Upper Eocene - Oligocene	37.2 - 23.03	North Korea (Kokai-do)	Protitanotherium koreanicum (13997)
Early/Lower Oligocene	33.9 - 28.4	China (Nei Mongol)	Embolotherium grangeri (174915 180729)
Late/Upper Oligocene	28.4 - 23.03	Georgia	Brontotheriidae indet. (182744)