2.6" Brontothere Fossil Vertebrae Bone Eocene Age Badlands S Dakota Titanothere COA

Location: White River Badlands, South Dakota

Weight: 7.2 Ounces

Dimensions: 2.6 Inches Long, 2.5 Inches Wide, 1.9 Inches Thick (Matrix)

Eocene Age, 56 to 33.9 million years Old.

Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

The item pictured is the one you will receive. 

Brontothere is an ancient mammal that roamed the area of Badlands National Park about 56-33.9 million years ago. Badlands brontotheres are also known as Megacerops coloradensis in scientific literature. Sometimes called “titanothere,” its name means “thunder beast,” referring to how a traveling herd of massive brontotheres may have sounded long ago, thundering through ancient environments.

Brontotheres that once roamed the Badlands were truly colossal mammals, reaching heights of around 8 feet and lengths of up to 16 feet, comparable to a modern large rhinoceros or small elephant. These massive creatures, however, did not start so imposing. During the early Eocene epoch, brontotheres were only about the size of a dog. Over the next 20 million years, they gradually evolved and diversified, adapting to their environments and steadily increasing in size. This long evolutionary process ultimately produced the enormous animals represented in the late Eocene fossil record of the Badlands.

As brontotheres grew larger, their anatomy and features also became more pronounced. Their robust skeletons supported massive bodies, and their paired blunt horns, which protruded from the nose, became a defining characteristic of the species. Fossils of these giants give us a detailed glimpse into how brontotheres adapted over millions of years, showcasing a remarkable story of growth, evolution, and survival in prehistoric ecosystems.

Brontotheres are most famously recognized for their blunt paired horns that projected from their noses, a feature that became increasingly pronounced over time. These horns began as small nubs in early species but eventually grew into enormous structures, sometimes exceeding 3.3 feet (1 meter) in length in adult Badlands brontotheres. Horn size typically varied between sexes, with males developing larger horns than females. While these impressive horns often bring modern rhinoceroses to mind, brontotheres are only distant relatives of today’s rhinos. The Badlands fossil record also contains species like Subhyracodon, which are the true ancestors of modern rhinoceroses, providing valuable insight into the evolutionary lineage of the rhino family and the diversity of ancient North American ecosystems.