miokuviaan

Miokuviaan, also known as *Miohippus*, is an extinct genus of early horse that lived during the Eocene epoch, approximately 40 to 34 million years ago. Fossils of Miokuviaan have been discovered primarily in North America and Europe, particularly in sedimentary deposits of the Bridger Formation in Wyoming and the Geiseltal Formation in Germany. The name *Miohippus* combines the Greek words *mios* (small) and *hippos* (horse), reflecting its smaller size compared to later equids.

Miokuviaan was a small, three-toed ungulate, standing about 60–80 centimeters (24–31 inches) tall at the shoulder. Its skull was elongated, with a prominent nasal cavity and three functional toes on each foot, though the middle toe was the largest and most weight-bearing. This structure was an evolutionary adaptation from earlier, more primitive horses like *Hyracotherium*, which had four toes on the front feet and three on the hind feet. Miokuviaan’s teeth show signs of grazing, with high-crowned molars suited for a diet of soft grasses and leaves, indicating a shift toward herbivory.

The genus is significant in the evolutionary history of horses, representing a transitional form between the more primitive *Hyracotherium* and later, more specialized equids like *Mesohippus*. Miokuviaan’s fossils provide insights into the gradual changes in horse anatomy, such as the reduction of side toes and the elongation of the skull, which contributed to the eventual evolution of modern horses. Its discovery helped paleontologists understand the adaptive radiation of horses during the Eocene, as they diversified into various habitats across the Northern Hemisphere.

Miokuviaan’s remains are housed in museums worldwide, including the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in Frankfurt. While not as well-known as later horse species, its fossil record remains a key reference in studies of equine evolution.