Andrewsarchus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids AndrewsarchusTemporal range: Eocene
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| The only skull of Andrewsarchus, on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. | |
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†Triisodontidae
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†Andrewsarchus
Pao, 1923
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Andrewsarchus mongoliensis (pronounced An-droo-SARK-us mon-go-lee-EN-sis) was a huge, wolf-like mammal that lived a very long time ago. Its name means "Andrews' ruler," named after Roy Chapman Andrews, who found its skull. This ancient creature was a powerful meat-eater, or perhaps a scavenger, roaming the Earth during the Eocene epoch, about 45 to 36 million years ago.
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A Giant Ancient Mammal
Andrewsarchus was a very large and heavily built animal. It walked on four short legs and had a long body and a long tail. Its feet had hoofed toes, similar to animals like pigs or hippos today.
What did it look like?
One of its most striking features was its long snout. This snout was filled with large, sharp teeth, perfect for tearing meat. It also had flatter teeth at the back of its mouth. Scientists think these might have been used for crushing bones.
A Mystery to Scientists
Scientists only have a skull and a few other bones of Andrewsarchus. Because of this, they are still debating whether it was an active hunter (a predator) or if it mostly ate animals that were already dead (a scavenger). Its exact time on Earth is also something scientists are still figuring out.
Images for kids
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Type skull compared to those of other carnivores, from Osborn (1924)
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Life restoration
See also
In Spanish: Andrewsarchus para niños
