Similarities and differences between genera of the order perissodactyls (perform & record #5)
Hyracotherium vs. Mesohippus
Similarities
Habitat - both lived in the woodlands of North America – difference: Hyracotherium also lived in the woodlands of Western Europe, Mesohippus only in North America. Age – both lived around the same time; the Eocene period – difference: Hyracotherium is an older species (lived in early-mid Eocene, about 45-55 million years ago), Mesohippus on the other hand lived in the late Eocene-mid Oligocene, 40-30 million years ago. Diet – both have the same diet which was plants |
Differences
Size and Weight – Hyracotherium was about 2 feet in length and about 50 pounds, while Mesohippus was 4 feet long and weighing about 75 pounds. Physical Characteristics – Hyracotherium had four toes on the front feet and three toes on the hind feet, Mesohippus had three toes on the front feet and four toes on the back feet. Hyracotherium did not look like a horse: it had a deer-like body, it was slender, and ate on low-lying leaves rather than grass based on the shape of its teeth. Mesohippus on the other hand, had wide-set eyes located near the top of its horse-like skull, longer legs and neck, and an arched back. |
Hyracotherium vs. Parahippus
Similarities
Habitat – Both lived in North America – difference: Hyracotherium lived in the woodlands of North America and Western Europe, while Parahippus lived on the plains of North America. Diet – Both have the same diet, which are plants and have the ability to chew tough food. |
Differences
Size and Weight – Hyracotherium was smaller than Parahippus; it was about 2 feet in length and 50 pounds while Parahippus was about 5 feet and 500 pounds Physical Characteristics – Parahippus looked more like a horse than Hyracotherium: it had a larger skull, enlarged middle toes; it was faster, and had longer legs than Hyracotherium |
Mesohippus vs. Parahippus
Similarities
Habitat – Both lived in North America – difference: Mesohippus lived in the woodlands of North America while Parahippus lived on the plains of North America Diet – both have the same diet; they both eat plants |
Differences
Size and Weight – Mesohippus was smaller than Parahippus; Mesohippus is about 4 feet in length and 75 pounds, while Parahippus is about 5 feet in length and 500 pounds. Physical Characteristics – Mesohippus had three toes on its front feet while Parahippus had longer legs and large middle toes on its front feet |
Hyracotherium vs. Merychippus
Similarities
Habitat – both lived in North America – difference: Hyracotherium lived in the woodlands of North America while Merychippus lived on the plains of North America Diet – both have the same diet, which are plants Physical Characteristics – both had vestigial toes on either side of their front and hind feet |
Differences
Size and Weight – Hyracotherium was smaller in size and weight than Merychippus; Hyracotherium was about 0.25 m tall and 75 pounds, while Merychippus was about 6 feet tall and weighed about 1,000 pounds. |
Mesohippus vs. Merychippus
Similarities
Region – they both lived in the same area: North America – difference: Mesohippus lived in the woodlands of North America while Merychippus lived on the plains of North America Diet – both Mesohippus and Merychippus had the same diet which was plants |
Differences
Size and Weight – Merychippus was bigger than Mesohippus; Merychippus was about 6 feet tall and 1000 pounds while Mesohippus was about 4 feet long and 75 pounds. Physical Characteristics – Mesohippus had three-toed front feet while Merychippus had vestigial toes on the front and hind feet |
Parahippus vs. Merychippus
Similarities
Habitat – both lived in the same habitat, the plains of North America Time Period – both lived in the same time period – difference: Parahippus lived in the Miocene period about 23-5 million years ago, while Merychippus lived in the late Miocene period about 17-10 million years ago. |
Differences
Size and Weight – Parahippus was smaller than Merychippus: Parahippus was about 5 feet tall and about 500 pounds, while Merychippus was 6 feet tall and about 1000 pounds. |
Hyracotherium vs. Pliohippus
Similarities
Region – both lived in North America – difference: Hyracotherium lived in the woodlands of North America while Pliohippus lived on the plains of North America. Diet – both had the same diet: plants |
Differences
Time Period – Hyracotherium lived in the early-mid Eocene period while Pliohippus lived in the late Miocene-Pliocene period. Size and Weight – Hyracotherium was smaller in size and weighed less than Pliohippus; Hyracotherium was about 2 feet in length and weighing about 50 pounds, while Pliohippus was about 6 feet tall and 1,000 pounds. |
Mesohippus vs. Pliohippus
Similarities
Diet – both had the same diet: plants Region – both lived in the same region: North America – difference: Mesohippus lived in the woodlands of North America while Pliohippus lived on the plains of North America. |
Differences
Size and Weight – Pliohippus was bigger about 6 feet tall and weighing 1,000 pounds while Mesohippus was 4 feet in length and 75 pounds Time Period – Mesohippus lived in the late Eocene-mid Oligocene, 40-30 million years ago while Pliohippus lived in the late Miocene-Pliocene period, about 12-2 million years ago. |
Parahippus vs. Pliohippus
Similarities
Diet – they both had the same diet: plants Habitat – both lived on the plains of North America Time Period – they both lived in the Miocene period |
Differences
Size and Weight – Parahippus was about 5 feet tall and 500 pounds while Pliohippus was about 6 feet tall and 1,000 pounds. Physical Characteristics – Parahippus had long legs and large middle toes on its front feet while Pliohippus had single-toed feet and a deeper depression in the skull above the eyes than Parahippus. |
Merychippus vs. Pliohippus
Similarities
Habitat– they both lived in the same habitat: on the plains of North America Diet – both had the same diet: plants Size and Weight – they both were about the same size: 6 feet and weighing 1,000 pounds |
Differences
Time Period – Merychippus lived in the late Miocene period about 17-10 million years ago, while Pliohippus lived in the late Miocene to early Pliocene period about 12-2 million years ago Physical Characteristics – Merychippus was not built for speed while Pliohippus was built for speed. Merychippus also had shorter legs and a less prominent depression on the skull than Pliohippus. |
Hyracotherium vs. Equus
Similarities
Diet – they both have the same diet: plants Region – both lived in North America Physical Characteristics – both still have the genes of “side toes” that are usually seen as vestigial splint bones of toes 2 and 4 around the large central toe |
Differences
Size and Weight- Equus is larger in size than Hyracotherium was; about 4-6 feet tall and weighing about 800 - 1,200 pounds Physical Characteristics - Equus has a rigid spine, long neck and legs, a long nose, deep jaw, and a flexible muzzle. Hyracotherium had an arched back, short neck, short snout, short legs, and long tail. Equus also has stronger teeth for chewing tougher food than Hyracotherium. |
Mesohippus vs. Equus
Similarities
Diet – both have the same diet: plants Region – both lived in North America |
Differences
Size and Weight – Mesohippus is about 4 feet in length and 75 pounds while Equus is about 6 feet tall and weighing about 800 - 1,200 pounds. Physical Characteristics – Mesohippus had a distinct Equine brain; however, Equus has a more complex and larger brain than Mesohippus. Equus has larger tooth crests and well-formed, sharp teeth than Mesohippus, built for grinding tougher food. |
Parahippus vs. Equus
Similarities
Diet – both have the same diet: plants Habitat – both lived on the plains of North America |
Differences
Size and Weight – Parahippus is about 5 feet tall and weighing about 500 pounds while Equus is about 6 feet tall weighing about 800 - 1,200 pounds Physical Characteristics - Parahippus had long legs and large middle toes on its front feet while Equus has it had a rigid spine, longer neck and legs, and a long nose. |
Merychippus vs. Equus
Similarities
Diet – they both have the same diet, which is plants Habitat – they both lived on the plains of North America Size and Weight – they were both roughly around the same size – difference: Equus weighs slightly more than Merychippus: weighing about 1,200 pounds while Merychippus weighing about 1,000 pounds |
Differences
Time Period – Merychippus lived in the late Miocene period (about 17-10 million years ago), while Equus has been living since about 2 million years ago to the present. Physical Characteristics - Merychippus had vestigial toes on the front and hind feet while Equus had one toe with side ligaments that prevented the twisting of the hoof and side toes. |
Pliohippus vs. Equus
Similarities
Diet – they both had the same diet: plants Habitat – both lived on the plains of North America Time Period – both lived around the same time period, the Pliocene time period –difference: Pliohippus is older than Equus Size and Weight – they were roughly around the same height, which was 6 feet |
Differences
Weight – Equus weighed more than Pliohippus, Pliohippus weighing around 1,000 pounds and Equus weighing roughly around 1,200 pounds Physical Characteristics – Equus brain is slightly larger than Pliohippus’s brain and the depression on the skull is more prominent than Pliohippus’s skull. Also, Equus teeth are bigger and sharper than Pliohippus's teeth. |