Moropus is a Schizotheriine Chalicothere from Miocene North America. The Schizotheriine Chalicotheres were basically giant long-necked horses with claws, but they did not have a vital role in the ecosystem. They went extinct in the Pleistocene epoch and their extinction did not really harm the environment.
Description[]
Like other chalicotheres, they differed from their modern relatives in having large claws, rather than hooves, on the front feet; these claws may have been used for defense or digging for food. Moropus was one of the largest chalicotheres, it stood about 2.4 metres (8 ft) tall at the shoulder. The three highly compressed claw-like hooves on each foot were split down the middle. The name Moropus translates to "slow (or sloth) foot", implying it was a clumsy mover. However the articulation of the phalangeal (finger) bones, in addition to the likely presence of large foot and toe pads, shows that Moropus probably could raise the claws slightly to enable it to move about quite smoothly. The laterally compressed claws, less robust knuckles, and its large size suggest it didn't knuckle walk like other chalicotheres. Rather, they had a digitigrade stance and lifted their claws by hyperextension of the phalangeal hook. As the hooves curved inward, it probably had a pigeon-toed gait. Another schizotheriine chalicothere, Ancylotherium, had a similar gait.
Fossil distribution[]
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