The earth always finds new ways of surprising us, and the last episode was just written in China, where a team of paleontologists discovered what is currently supposed to be the largest terrestrial mammal ever to walk on the earth. It is a new kind of giant rhinoceros that would be greater than any giraffe and would have been as great as six elephants. The fossilized skull of this Paraceraratherium Linxiaense (Linxia giant rhinoceros) measures more than three feet long.
Fossils were discovered in the Linxia Basin in Gansu Province, CNN reports. A Chinese and American team led by Deng Tao analyzed fossils found in 2015, then the team named the new species. The Chinese Academy of Science announced the discovery Friday. The Tao team is from the Paleontology Institute of Vertebrates and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) to the Academy, and they published their conclusions in the biology of communication.
“Usually, the fossils are in pieces, but this one is complete, with a very complete skull and a very complete jaw, which is rare,” said Deng CNN. “The skull was more than one meter (three feet) long, and it was very rare that the skull of this size is preserved. We also found the cervical column.”
The giant rhinoceros would have weighed about 24 tons, said the scientist. His shoulders would have been greater than 16 feet from the ground, the head rising at 23 feet. His body was 26 feet long. Overall, the body of the giant rhinoceros was the same size as six elephants. As a comparison, adult male giraffes could top 18 feet, females reaching 14 feet.
“It’s the biggest mammal of all time for having lived on earth,” said Deng.
The researchers used a genetic analysis to prove that the animal was part of a new kind of giant rhinoceros. The giant rhinoceros would have lived in China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Pakistan. Some of them could have been achieved until Eastern Europe. Species lived in the northern part of the Tibetan plateau 31 million years ago before moving to the southwest.
The giant rhinoceros of Linxia is the descendant of species living in Pakistan. He lived about 26.5 million years ago in the Linxia area where she died. Deng explained that the animals should have passed through the Tibetan plateau on their way to Linxia, which means that the tray was lower than it is now.
“In addition, animal migration is linked to climate change. 31 million years ago, when the Mongolian plateau has dried out, they moved to the south, “said Deng, adding that the weather was wet, and the animals returned to the north. “As a result, this discovery is of great importance for the study of the entire process of uprising, climate and the environment.”
