eohippus

eohippus
/ee'oh hip"euhs/, n.
the earliest known horse, a member of the extinct genus Hyracotherium (Eohippus), from the early Eocene Epoch of the Northern Hemisphere; a terrier-sized herbivore having four hoofed toes on each forefoot and three on each hind foot, and low-crowned teeth. Also called dawn horse, hyracotherium.
[1875-80; < NL, equiv. to eo- EO- + Gk híppos horse]

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Former name of a genus of ancestral horses, commonly called dawn horses, that flourished in North America during the Early Eocene Epoch (54.8–49 million years ago).

It is now classified with European species in the genus Hyracotherium. Eohippus stood 1–2 ft (30–60 cm) high at the shoulders and was adapted to running, with hind legs longer than the forelegs. The body was lightly constructed, with slender legs and elongated feet that were functionally three-toed (though the front feet had four toes). The skull varied from shortened (primitive) to relatively long (more horselike).

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      genus of ancestral horse. See dawn horse.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • eohippus — EOHÍPPUS s. (geol.) hiracoteriu. (Genul fosil de animale numit eohippus.) Trimis de siveco, 05.08.2004. Sursa: Sinonime  EOHÍPPUS s. m. gen fosil de ecvide imparicopitate, cel mai vechi strămoş al calului. (< fr. éohippus) Trimis de raduborza …   Dicționar Român

  • eohippus — ● eohippus nom masculin (du grec hippos, cheval) Petit équidé fossile de l éocène d Europe et d Amérique du Nord, qui avait quatre doigts aux pattes de devant et trois aux pattes de derrière. ● eohippus (synonymes) nom masculin (du grec hippos,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • eohippus — eo*hip pus ([=e] [ o]*h[i^]p p[u^]s), n. [Gr. hw s dawn + ipposhorse.] an extinct primitive dog sized 4 toed Eocene mammal, the earliest horse known in the line of descent of the modern horse. It is classed in the extinct genus {Hydracotherium}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Eohippus — Eohippus, s. Einhufer …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Eohippus — oldest known genus of the horse family, 1879, from Mod.L., from Gk. eos (see EO (Cf. eo )) + hippos horse (see EQUINE (Cf. equine)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • eohippus — [ē΄ō hip′əs] n. [ModL < EO + HIPPUS] an extinct progenitor (genus Hyracotherium) of the modern horse, found in the Lower Eocene of W U.S.: it was about the size of a fox and had four toes on the front feet and three on the hind …   English World dictionary

  • Eohippus — Hyracotherium Hyracotherium …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Eohippus — Hyracotherium Hyracotherium, Zeichnung von Heinrich Harder Zeitraum Eozän 60 bis 45 Mio. Jahre Fossilfundorte …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Eohippus — Hyracotherium Hyracotherium n. An extinct horse genus, formerly called genus {Eohippus}. Syn: genus {Hyracotherium}. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • eohippus — noun Etymology: New Latin, from eo + Greek hippos horse more at equine Date: circa 1879 any of a genus (Hyracotherium syn. Eohippus) of very small primitive horses from the Lower Eocene having 4 toed forefeet and 3 toed hind feet called also dawn …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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