| Kyptoceras | |
|---|---|
| |
| An artist's illustration and size comparison of Kyptoceras amatorum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | †Protoceratidae |
| Genus: | †Kyptoceras Webb, 1981 |
| Binomial name | |
| †Kyptoceras amatorum Webb, 1981 | |
Kyptoceras is an extinct genus of small protoceratid endemic to southeastern North America from the Early Pliocene epoch 23.03—3.6 Ma, existing for approximately 19.43 million years.
Taxonomy[]
Kyptoceras was named by Webb (1981). Its type is Kyptoceras amatorum. It is the type genus of Kyptoceratini. It was assigned to Kyptoceratini by Webb (1981), Prothero (1998), Webb et al. (2003) and Prothero and Ludtke (2007).
Morphology[]
Kyptoceras is the last known member of the family. The protoceratids were believed to have been driven to extinction by more advanced grazing herbivores, but in Florida, where there were still relatively large tracts of forest, the protoceratids were able to survive. This species genus name comes from its bent horns, in which the two horns above the eyes curved over its head, and the two nasal horns pointed forward. The species name, amatorum, comes in honor of all amateur fossil collectors, including Frank Garcia (Ruskin, Florida) the amateur who found it and donated it to the Florida Museum of Natural History.