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Did you know?
The fossils of prehistoric animals during the past 7–12 million years ago can be found entombed in the sediments, including extinct elephants, rhinos, three-toed horses, giraffe-like camels, saber-toothed cats, and bone-crushing dogs. There are also fascinating small creatures such as
ancestral skunks, alligator lizards, and shrews.
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Geology and Paleontology of Red Rock Canyon
Three-toed Horse
Upper: Right upper jaw of a three-toed horse Hipparion forcei showing six cheek teeth (three premolars on the left half and three molars on the right). As implied by its name, this ancient horse has three toes as opposed to one-toed horse of today. Fossil three-toed horses are common in the Red Rock Canyon area and they formed a major component of the plant eating community of the late Cenozoic of southern California. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County catalogue number 138261.
Click image or here for a larger picture.
Lower: A reconstruction of a late Miocene (about 9-7 million years ago) three-toed horse illustrated by Spanish artist Mauricio Antón in his book “Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids.” (reproduction by permission of the author) |
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Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90007
213 763 DINO
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