“ A horse-like small litopteran mammal of South America existed in the Miocene before the land bridge connection and made a damned isolated ecological niche. ”

– Eostre

Scientific Taxonomy & Character Information

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Clade: Synapsida

Class: Mammalia

Order: †Litopterna

Family: †Proterotheriidae

Genius: †Thoatherium

Species: †Thoatherium minusculum

Descendant: Proterotheriids

Named by: Florentino Ameghino

Year Published: 1887

Size: 70 centimetres (2.3 feet) in length; 45 centimeters tall in height; 10 kilograms in weight

Lifespan: 10 years

Type(s):

Synapsids
- Mammals (Litopterns)

Title(s):

Small Horse-like Beast
Pony-like

Pantheon(s): Terran/Gaian 🇺🇳

Time Period: Early Miocene (Santacrucian) ~17.5–16.3 MYA BCE

Alignment: Good

Threat Level: ★

Diet: Herbivorous

Element(s): n/a

Inflict(s): n/a

Weakness(es): Fire 🔥, Water 🌊, Rock 🪨, Air 🌬️, Electric ⚡, Leaf 🌿, Ice ❄️, Metal 🔩, Dark 🌑, Light 🔆

Casualties: n/a

Based On: itself

Conservation Status:

Earth: Extinct (EX) – IUCN Red List
Berbania/Hirawhassa: Endangered (EN) – IUCN Red List
Reinachos/Ityosel: Least Concern (LC) – IUCN Red List
Sawintir: Critically Endangered (CR) – IUCN Red List

The Common Huepjoque (Thoatherium minusculum) is an extinct species of Thoatherium, is an extinct genus of litoptern mammals from the Early Miocene of Argentina.

Etymology

Huepjoque is the Hispanization of Argentinian Spanish and European Spanish via a combination of Mapuche: wemül for deer, and Toba Qom: pyoq for dog, due to being smaller than a pony.

Physical Appearance

Due to its long legs, Thoatherium resembled a tiny pony and was a quick runner. Thoatherium only had one hoof that resembled a horse, and its toes were noticeably shortened. Even the splint bones, which are the remains of the second and fourth toes in contemporary horses, were absent from Thoatherium.

Abilities

They will jump 3 times, stop for a few seconds, and continue jumping. Thoatherium was an extremely quick and nimble runner that was suited to open, sparsely forested Miocene environments. Its limb architecture exhibits extreme specialization for quickness and effective gait, which is conceptually nearly equivalent to the evolutionary path of a horse. They are easily heatbutted, even when Thoatherium halted. Although there isn't any concrete proof, it could likely swim if needed because Thoatherium is a small ungulate with light bones (most terrestrial mammals can). Nevertheless, swimming was not a crucial ecological behavior, and Thoatherium was not adapted for aquatic existence.

Ecology

Thoatherium was mostly a browser, consuming soft plants, leaves, and shoots. Open woods, savannas, scrublands, and woodlands in Miocene Patagonia were probably home to Thoatherium. They probably stayed away from swamps and deep woodlands. Terror birds, boas, wolves, zorros, coatis, saber-toothed marsupials (thylacosmilids), and larger predatory mammals like proterotheriid-sized sparassodonts are their primary predators.

Thoatherium will often run around in areas, commonly in groups of six or nine. Very curious to humans, their meat joints are used in medicine and are said to cure some severe diseases.

Reproduction

No soft-tissue or behavioral fossils exist, but based on ungulate and litoptern patterns:

Probably gave birth to a single well-developed offspring.
Likely had short maternal care, with young quickly becoming mobile for survival.
Breeding likely seasonal, aligned with vegetation cycles.

Behavior

Living in a herd or small group is likely to provide protection for Thoatherium. They graze and browse during the day and are probably diurnal. Thoatherium, which resembled small gazelles, relied more on speed and alertness than aggression and was unlikely to exhibit territorial behavior.

Thoatherium are not aggressive, however they are exceedingly shy and easily stressed. These little ungulates are not suited for intimate human contact or domestication since they avoid people. Thoatherium is a shy animal and fled along with their herd and ran away.

Distribution and Habitat

In the Miocene, Thoatherium have been discovered in Argentina's Santa Cruz Formation and other surrounding nations. Thoatherium inhabits a variety of habitats, including grassy floodplains (not aquatic), scrub forests, open woodland, and savanna-like settings.

Movement Pattern: Random
Individual Type: Solo/Team
Population Trend: Stable
Population: 0
Locomotion: Terrestrial
Habitat: Montane Grasslands and Shrublands, Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Salt Flats; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Wetland; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Graveyard Vale; Mountain.
Earth:
- Extinct: Argentina; Chile; Colombia; Paraguay; Peru; Uruguay

Tamed

Thoatherium was fed using grasses or wheat to tame harmless. Millions of years before humans lived in South America, Thoatherium was extinct. Even if it had lived, domestication would have been extremely unlikely because its behavior could have resembled that of frightened tiny ungulates, such as deer or dik-diks.