anthracotheriids

Anthracotheriids were an extinct family of semi-aquatic artiodactyl mammals that lived from the Eocene to the Miocene epochs. They were diverse in size, ranging from small dog-sized creatures to animals as large as a hippopotamus. Their fossil record is widespread, with finds across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

These animals were characterized by their webbed feet, which indicate an adaptation to life in or near water. Their teeth suggest a diet of soft vegetation, such as leaves and aquatic plants. Anthracotheriids possessed a relatively long snout and a bulky body. They are considered to be part of the Cetancodonta clade, a group that includes hippopotamuses, and are believed to be ancestral to modern cetaceans (whales and dolphins), though this relationship is still debated among paleontologists.

The diversity of anthracotheriids suggests they occupied a variety of ecological niches in freshwater and estuarine environments. Their extinction is thought to be linked to climate change and competition with other herbivores. The fossil evidence, while substantial, leaves many questions about their precise evolutionary relationships and ecological roles unanswered.