Sivatherium


Sivatherium is an extinct genus of giraffids that ranged throughout Africa to the Indian subcontinent. The species Sivatherium giganteum is, by weight, one of the largest giraffid known, and also one of the largest ruminants of all time. The Afro-Asiatic species, S. maurusium, was once placed within the genus "Libytherium".
Sivatherium originated during the Late Miocene in Africa and survived through to the late Early Pleistocene S. giganteum remains have been recovered from the Himalayan foothills, dating around 1 million years ago. Suggestions have been made that S. maurusium may have gone extinct as recently as 8,000 years ago, as depictions that resemble it are known from ancient rock paintings in the Sahara and Central West India. But these claims are not substantiated by fossil evidence, and the depictions likely represent other animals.

Description

Sivatherium resembled the modern okapi, but was far larger, and more heavily built, being about tall at the shoulder, in total height with a weight up to. A newer estimate has come up with an estimated body mass of about. This would make Sivatherium one of the largest known ruminants, rivalling the modern giraffe and the largest bovines. This weight estimate is thought to be an underestimate, as it does not take into account the large horns possessed by males of the species. Sivatherium had a wide, antler-like pair of ossicones on its head, and a second pair of ossicones above its eyes. Its shoulders were very powerful to support the neck muscles required to lift the heavy skull.

Diet

A dental wear analysis of S. hendeyi from the Early Pliocene of South Africa found that the teeth were brachyodont, but had a higher hypsodonty than a giraffe, and that it was best classified as a mixed feeder, being able to both graze and browse.