Neohipparion eurystyle

[Shellseeker]

Mostly I hunt the Peace River, but sometimes I venture into the tributaries. About 3 weeks ago I hunted a creek and found this small lower premolar.

 

Hoping it was not Equus ( no disrespect intended),  I sent it to Richard Hulbert for identification. His answer:

Quote

The third specimen is a classic lower from Neohipparion eurystyle. I think it is a molar, but might be a premolar (the two are similar in this species). Among hipparionine horses, the teeth of Neohipparion eurstyle is some ways have evolved to resemble those of Equus. It is thought to have been a grazing specialist.    Richard.

Identification of lower molars is difficult.. This horse has an isolated protocone on its upper molars making those easier to ID. I liked getting this identification because finding one of these can help to "date" a hunting location.

Fast forward to yesterday, hunting a different tributary creek  and

 

Looks pretty similar to me..  Here are some sources to compare, 1st from Kansas, 2nd from Florida museum of Natural History. Thinking size as the 1st criteria because there are lots of variations in the lower jaw teeth of the SAME horse based on wear and position.

 

Just documenting some new insights that I do not have on many of my other horse tooth finds.  Enjoy.  Jack

 

[Harry Pristis]

 

Here are my type specimens:

 

 

[Shellseeker]

Thanks Harry,

Each example helps. I have been fortunate to find or obtain a number of lower jaw examples of this small horse.  The 2 I show above are my 3rd and 4th found, plus a good friend 'gifted' a lower jaw segment he had picked up in a bone valley mine (see below).

I have yet to find an upper ... I am struck by the size and the length of the oval shaped protocone on your tooth.