English: Diceratherium sp. - fossil rhinoceros skeleton (female) from the Miocene of Nebraska, USA. (UW 15564, University of Wyoming Geological Museum, Laramie, Wyoming, USA)

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From museum signage: Diceratherium Marsh, 1875

Geologic Range: 31.9-11.6 million years ago (Early Oligocene - latest Middle Miocene

Geographic Range: Widespread in North America. Fossils also reported from China, Portugal, and Switzerland.

Adult Size: Weight up to 1,641 pounds (744.3 kilograms)

Habitat and Diet: Terrestrial. Browsing herbivore.

Characteristics: Diceratherium is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae or the "true" rhinoceroses. It probably evolved from Subhyracodon in the late Early Oligocene, about 31.9 million years ago, and survived for nearly 20.3 million years into the late Middle Miocene. This skeleton (UW 15564) was collected from the Agate Springs fossil quarry (approximately 19 million years old) near Agate, Nebraska. The Agate Springs quarry is in the Anderson Ranch Formation and is famous for its abundant and diverse assemblage of Early Miocene mammals. Morphologically, Diceratherium has few characters to distinguish it from other rhinoceroses, the most important being upper premolars that are fully molarized. Diceratherium is a large rhinoceros characterized by paired flanges on the upper side of the nasal bones in males. The elongated flanges probably supported some type of narrow "horn", unlike the more conical "horns" of other rhinoceroses. This specimen is a female because it lacks the nasal flanges.

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Classification: Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae

Stratigraphy: Anderson Ranch Formation, uppermost Arikareean, Lower Miocene

Locality: Agate Springs fossil quarry, near the town of Agate, Sioux County, northwestern Nebraska, USA

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See info. at:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diceratherium