Western Horse - Equus occidentalis

[RSN]

Western Horse
Equus occidentalis



With over 200 individuals of western horse recovered from Rancho La Brea, paleontologists have determined that this species had a strong resemblance to the modern East African zebra and the extinct South African quagga even though it wasn't closely related. Scientific studies on the western horse suggest that the species underwent a small, yet significant reduction in body size near the end of the last Ice Age. This change in body size may be the result of changing conditions in both climate and vegetation.

Pictures:
www.tarpits.org/education/guide/art/page13a.jpg
www.tarpits.org/education/guide/art/page13b.jpg
www.tarpits.org/education/guide/art/page13c.jpg
palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Lagerstatten/rancho_la_brea/Fanflo_files/image004.jpg
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/ponyexpress/pony1_1/ponycolr.gif
www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/dreams/799/photos/nhm5.jpg
www.riversideca.gov/museum/jamest8.jpg

Sources:
www.tarpits.org/education/guide/flora/horse.html
See image links for more info

[surroundx]

Brown, Kristen E., Akersten, William A. and Scott, Eric. (2015). Equus occidentalis Leidy from “Asphalto,” Kern County, California, pp. 81-89. In: Harris, John M. (ed.). La Brea and Beyond: The Paleontology of Asphalt-Preserved Biotas. Los Angeles, California: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series No. 42. 174 pp.

[surroundx]

Jones,Davis Brent and Desantis, Larisa R. G. (In Press, 2016). Dietary ecology of ungulates from the La Brea tar pits in southern California: A multi-proxy approach. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.11.019 [Abstract]