Miotragocerus

Miotragocerus is an extinct genus of bovine bovid native to Eurasia during the latter part of the Miocene epoch, from around 13 to 6 million years ago, spanning from Europe to China.

Taxonomy

The placement of Miotragocerus is disputed. Some studies have considered it a member of the living antelope tribe Boselaphini, with others have placed it in the extinct tribe Tragoportacini. A 2021 phylogenetic analysis considered it to be a basal member of the tribe Bovini, and the closest known relative to the possibly extinct saola.

Description

M. gluten possessed teeth that were brachydont to sub-hypsodont in their morphology.

Ecology

The dental mesowear of Miotragocerus ''gluten from Chabbar Syedan in Pakistan evidences that the species was a browsing herbivore that potentially occasionally engaged in mixed feeding. Dental microwear of Miotragocerus gaudryi'' from the Late Miocene of Bulgaria suggests that it was a folivorous browser.