Metaschizotherium fossil map
Where fossils of Metaschizotherium have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 5 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 5 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 5.333–2.58 million years ago (Zanclean to Piacenzian) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Chalicotheriidae |
| Named by | von Koenigswald 1932 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | South Africa |
| Rock formations | Makapansgat |
About Metaschizotherium
Metaschizotherium is an extinct genus that belongs to the family Chalicotheriidae, which was a group of herbivorous perissodactyl ("odd-toed") mammals. Though found primarily in Europe, fragmentary remains suggest that their range extended into Asia.
Several other species have been described under Metaschizotherium in the past, including the African M. transvaalensis, but they have been transferred to other genera, such as Ancylotherium. The entire genus has been considered synonymous with Ancylotherium in the past, but nowadays the two are generally found to be distinct.
This genus is typically associated with areas of closed, moist forest, where it fed on relatively soft leaves and shoots compared to a more abrasive diet of twigs and bark.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Metaschizotherium (revision 1354851405), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q6823195.
