Rhinoceros Fossil range: Eocene - Rec Contents 1 Bold text 2 Taxonomy and naming 2.1 White Rhinoceros 2.2 Black Rhinoceros 2.3 Indian Rhinoceros 2.4 Javan Rhinoceros 2.5 Sumatran Rhinoceros 3 Evolution 4 Rhinoceros horns 5 Cultural depictions of rhinos 6 Footnotes 7 References 8 External links Bold text Bold text'ent
Black Rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla Family: Rhinocerotidae Gray, 1821
Extant Genera
Ceratotherium Dicerorhinus Diceros Rhinoceros Extinct genera, see text

The Rhinoceros (IPA: /raɪˈnɒsərəs/), often colloquially abbreviated rhino, is the common name used to group five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. The Eocene epoch (558 ± 02 - 339 ± 01 Ma) is a major division of the Geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and Grazing Mammals which compose the order Perissodactyla. John Edward Gray ( 12 February 1800 &ndash 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few Dicerorhinus is a Genus of the family Rhinocerotidae, consisting of a single extant species the Sumatran Rhinoceros ( D The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa The members of the genus Rhinoceros are the one-horned rhinoceroses The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and Grazing Mammals which compose the order Perissodactyla. In Biological classification, family ( Latin Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia. Three of the five species—the (Javan, Sumatran and Black Rhinoceros)—are critically endangered. The Javan Rhinoceros ( Sunda Rhinoceros to be more precise or Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus) is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae Hairy rhinoceros redirects here For the Extinct Megafauna, see Wooly rhinoceros. The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa The Indian is endangered, with fewer than 2700 individuals remaining in the wild. The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-horned Rhinoceros or the Asian One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis) is a large mammal found in Nepal The White is registered as Vulnerable, with roughly 14,500 remaining in the wild. The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few

The rhinoceros family is characterised by large size (one of the few remaining megafauna alive today) with all of the species capable of reaching one ton or more in weight; herbivorous diet; and a thick protective skin, 1. Megafauna are species of large Animals ( Greek μεγας large + modern Latin fauna animal Units of mass There are three similar units of Mass called the ton: Long ton (simply ton in countries such as the United Herbivory is a form of Predation in which an Organism, known as a herbivore, consumes principally Autotrophs ref name=Campbell>Campbell 5–5 cm thick, formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure; relatively small brains for mammals this size (400–600g); and a large horn. Collagen is the main Protein of Connective tissue in Animals and the most abundant protein in Mammals making up about 50% of the whole-body protein They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter, if necessary. The colon is a storage tube for solid wastes The main function of the colon appears to be extraction of Water and salts from Feces. Unlike other perissodactyls, the African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their powerful premolar and molar teeth to grind up plant food. The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and Grazing Mammals which compose the order Perissodactyla. Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of Tooth in most Mammals In many mammals they grind food hence the Latin name mola, " Millstone ^[1] The dental formula varies greatly between species, but in general is:

The rhino is prized for its horn. The horns of a rhinoceros are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails, but the horn is not itself made of hair as previously believed. Keratins are a family of fibrous structural proteins; tough and insoluble they form the hard but nonmineralized structures found in Reptiles Birds Hair is a keratinised protein filament that grows through the epidermis from follicles deep within the Dermis. A nail is a horn -like structure at the end of an animal's Finger or Toe. [1] Both African species and the Sumatran Rhinoceros have two horns, while the Indian and Javan Rhinoceros have a single horn. Hairy rhinoceros redirects here For the Extinct Megafauna, see Wooly rhinoceros. The Javan Rhinoceros ( Sunda Rhinoceros to be more precise or Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus) is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae Rhinoceroses have acute hearing and sense of smell, but poor eyesight. Most live to be about 60 years old or more.

Taxonomy and naming

The word "rhinoceros" (ρινόκερος) is derived from the Greek words rhino, meaning nose, and kera, meaning horn; hence "horned-nose". The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Anatomically a nose is a protuberance in Vertebrates that houses the Nostrils or nares which admit and expel air for respiration in conjunction with the A horn is a pointed projection of the Skin on the head of various Mammals consisting of a covering of horn ( Keratin and other Proteins The plural can be rhinoceros, rhinoceri, rhinoceroses, or rhinoceroi. The collective noun for a group of rhinoceros is "crash". In Linguistics, a collective noun is a word used to define a group of objects where "objects" can be People, Animals Inanimate things

Size comparison of extant rhinoceros species.

The five living species fall into three categories. The two African species, the White Rhinoceros and the Black Rhinoceros, diverged during the early Pliocene (about 5 million years ago) but the Dicerotini group to which they belong originated in the middle Miocene, about 14. The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa The Pliocene epoch (spelled Pleiocene in some older texts is the period in the Geologic timescale that extends The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 2 million years ago. The main difference between black and white rhinos is the shape of their mouths. White rhinos have broad flat lips for grazing and black rhinos have long pointed lips for eating foliage. The name White Rhinoceros was actually a mistake, or rather a corruption of the word wijd ("wide" in Afrikaans), referring to their square lips. Afrikaans is an Indo-European language, derived from 17th century Dutch and classified as Low Franconian Germanic, mainly spoken in

White Rhinoceros are divided into Northern and Southern subspecies. There are two living Rhinocerotini species, the endangered Indian Rhinoceros and the critically endangered Javan Rhinoceros, which diverged from one another about 10 million years ago. The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-horned Rhinoceros or the Asian One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis) is a large mammal found in Nepal The Javan Rhinoceros ( Sunda Rhinoceros to be more precise or Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus) is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae The critically endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros is the only surviving representative of the most primitive group, the Dicerorhinini, which emerged in the Miocene (about 20 million years ago). Hairy rhinoceros redirects here For the Extinct Megafauna, see Wooly rhinoceros. ^[2] The extinct Woolly Rhinoceros of northern Europe and Asia was also a member of this tribe. The woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis) is an Extinct species of Rhinoceros native to the northern Steppes of Eurasia

A subspecific hybrid white rhino (Ceratotherium s. simum × C. s. cottoni) was bred at the Dvůr Králové Zoo (Zoological Garden Dvur Kralove nad Labem) in the Czech Republic in 1977. Dvůr Králové nad Labem (ˈdvuːr ˈkraːlovɛː ˈnad labɛm German: Königinhof an der Elbe) is a Town of the Czech Republic in Hradec The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Interspecific hybridisation of Black and White Rhinoceros has also been confirmed. In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. ^[3]

All rhinoceros species have 82 chromosomes (diploid number, 2N, per cell), except the Black Rhinoceros, which has 84. A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and Protein that is found in cells. This is the highest known chromosome number of all mammals. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands

White Rhinoceros

This White Rhinoceros is actually gray. The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few The White in this species' name is from the Afrikaans word wyd which means wide. It refers to the White Rhinoceros's wide lip compared to the Black Rhinoceros's pointed lip. The original meaning was subsequently lost in translation.

Main article: White Rhinoceros

The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is, behind the elephant, probably the most massive remaining land animal in the world, along with the Indian Rhinoceros which is of comparable size and some male hippopotamuses. The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few Elephants ( family: Elephantidae) are large land Mammals of the order Proboscidea. The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-horned Rhinoceros or the Asian One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis) is a large mammal found in Nepal The hippopotamus ( Hippopotamus amphibius) from the Greek ἱπποπόταμος ( hippopotamos, ιππος hippos meaning "horse" There are two subspecies of White Rhinos; as of 2005, South Africa has the most of the first subspecies, the Southern White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum). In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The population of southern white rhinos is about 14,500, making them the most abundant subspecies of rhino in the world.

The White Rhino has a massive body and large head, a short neck and broad chest. This rhino can exceed 3000 kg (6600 pounds), have a head-and-body length of 3. 35-4. 2 m (11-13. 9 feet) and a shoulder height of 150-185 cm (60-73 inches). The record-sized White Rhinoceros was about 4500 kg (10,000 lb). ^[4]. On its snout it has two horns. A horn is a pointed projection of the Skin on the head of various Mammals consisting of a covering of horn ( Keratin and other Proteins The front horn is larger than the other horn and averages 89. 9 cm (23. 6 inches) in length and can reach 150 cm (59 inches). The White Rhinoceros also has a noticeable hump on the back of its neck which supports its large head. The colour of this animal ranges from yellowish brown to slate grey. The only hair on them is on the ear fringes and tail bristles with little across the body. White Rhinos have the distinctive flat broad mouth which is used for grazing.

Black Rhinoceros

The Black Rhinoceros is similar in color to the White Rhinoceros. The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few

Main article: Black Rhinoceros

The name Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) was chosen to distinguish this species from the White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few This can be confusing, as those two species are not really distinguishable by colour. There are four subspecies of black rhino: South-central (Diceros bicornis minor), the most numerous, which once ranged from central Tanzania south through Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to northern and eastern South Africa; South-western (Diceros bicornis bicornis) which are better adapted to the arid and semi-arid savannas of Namibia, southern Angola, western Botswana and western South Africa; East African (Diceros bicornis michaeli), primarily in Tanzania; and West African (Diceros bicornis longipes) which was tentatively declared extinct in 2006. Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa. See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast Angola, officially the Republic of Angola (República de Angola Pronounced ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɨ ɐ̃ˈgɔlɐ Repubilika ya Ngola is a country in south-central The Republic of Botswana (Lefatshe la Botswana is a Landlocked nation in Southern Africa. ^[5]

An adult Black Rhinoceros stands 147–160 cm (57. 9–63 inches) high at the shoulder and is 3. 3-3. 6 m (10. 8–11. 8 feet) in length. ^[6] An adult weighs from 800 to 1400 kg (1,760 to 3,080 lb), exceptionally to 1820 kg (4,000 lb), with the females being smaller than the males. Two horns on the skull are made of keratin with the larger front horn typically 50 cm long, exceptionally up to 140 cm. A horn is a pointed projection of the Skin on the head of various Mammals consisting of a covering of horn ( Keratin and other Proteins Keratins are a family of fibrous structural proteins; tough and insoluble they form the hard but nonmineralized structures found in Reptiles Birds Sometimes, a third smaller horn may develop. The Black Rhino is much smaller than the White Rhino, and has a pointed mouth, which they use to grasp leaves and twigs when feeding. The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few

Indian Rhinoceros

An Indian rhinoceros and baby at the Nürnberger Zoo.

Main article: Indian Rhinoceros

The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros Unicornis) is found in Nepal and in Assam, India. The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-horned Rhinoceros or the Asian One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis) is a large mammal found in Nepal Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The rhino once inhabited areas from Pakistan to Burma and may have even roamed in China. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National But because of human influence their range has shrunk and now they only exist in small populations in northeastern India and Nepal. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. It is confined to the tall grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas. Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the Vegetation is dominated by Grasses ( Poaceae) and other Herbaceous (non-woody A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria

The Indian Rhinoceros has thick, silver-brown skin which creates huge folds all over its body. Its upper legs and shoulders are covered in wart-like bumps, and it has very little body hair. A wart (also known as verruca) is generally a small rough Tumor, typically on hands and feet but often other locations that can resemble a Cauliflower Fully grown males are larger than females in the wild, weighing from 2200–3000 kg (4,800–6,600 lb). Female Indian rhinos weigh about 1600 kg. The Indian Rhino is from 5. 7–6. 7 feet tall and can be up to 13 feet long. The record-sized specimen of this rhino was approximately 3500 kg. The Indian Rhino has a single horn that reaches a length of between 20 and 101 cm. A horn is a pointed projection of the Skin on the head of various Mammals consisting of a covering of horn ( Keratin and other Proteins Its size is comparable to that of the White Rhino in Africa.

Javan Rhinoceros

Main article: Javan Rhinoceros

The Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is one of the rarest and most endangered large mammals anywhere in the world. The Javan Rhinoceros ( Sunda Rhinoceros to be more precise or Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus) is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands ^[7] According to 2002 estimates, only about 60 remain, in Java (Indonesia) and Vietnam. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Of all the rhino species, the least is known of the Javan Rhino. These animals prefer dense lowland rain forest, tall grass and reed beds that are plentiful with large floodplains and mud wallows. Though once widespread throughout Asia, by the 1930s the rhinoceros was nearly hunted to extinction in India, Burma, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra for the supposed medical powers of its horn and blood. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Peninsular Malaysia ( Semenanjung Malaysia) also known as Malaya or West Malaysia, is the part of Malaysia which lies on Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two

Like the closely related larger Indian Rhinoceros, the Javan rhinoceros has only a single horn. The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-horned Rhinoceros or the Asian One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis) is a large mammal found in Nepal Its hairless, hazy gray skin fall into folds into the shoulder, back, and rump giving it an armored-like appearance. The Javan rhino's body length reaches up to 3. 1-3. 2 m (10-10. 5 feet), including its head and a height of 1. 5–1. 7 m (4. 9-5. 6ft)tall. Adults are variously reported to weigh between 900–1,400 kg^[8] or 1,360-2,000 kg. ^[9] Males horns can reach 26 cm in length while in females they are knobs or no horn at all. ^[9]

Sumatran Rhinoceros

A Sumatran rhinoceros at the Bronx Zoo. This article is about the zoo for the TV series see The Bronx Zoo (TV series; for the book "The Bronx Zoo" about the Yankees see Sparky Lyle, its

Main article: Sumatran Rhinoceros

The Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is the smallest extant rhinoceros species, as well as the one with the most fur, which allows it to survive at very high altitudes in Borneo and Sumatra. Hairy rhinoceros redirects here For the Extinct Megafauna, see Wooly rhinoceros. Fur is a body hair of any non-human Mammal, also known as the Pelage. Altitude is the Elevation of a point or object from a known level or datum (plural data Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two Due to habitat loss and poaching, its numbers have declined and it is one of the world's rarest mammals. About 275 Sumatran Rhinos are believed to remain.

Typically a mature Sumatran rhino stands about 130 cm (4. 3ft) high at the shoulder, a body length of 240–315 cm (7. 9ft - 10. 3ft) and weighs around 700 kg (1543 lbs), though the largest individuals have been known to weigh as much as 1,000 kilograms. Like the African species, it has two horns, the largest is the front (25–79 cm) and the smaller being the second which is usually less than 10 cm long. The males have much larger horns than the females. Hair can range from dense (the most dense hair in young calves) to scarce. The color of these rhinos is reddish brown. The body is short and has stubby legs. They also have a prehensile lip.

Evolution

Rhinocerotoids diverged from other perissodactyls by the early Eocene. Fossils of Hyrachyus eximus found in North America date to this period. Hyrachyus is an extinct Genus of Perissodactyl mammal that lived in Eocene Europe. This small hornless ancestor resembled a tapir or small horse more than a rhino. Three families, sometimes grouped together as the superfamily Rhinocerotoidea, evolved in the late Eocene: Hyracodontidae, Amynodontidae and Rhinocerotidae. Taxonomic rank ( rank, category, taxonomic category is an abstract term used in the Scientific classification, or Taxonomy, of organisms Hyracodontidae is an extinct family of rhinoceroses. The Amynodonts were a group of hippo-like Perissodactyls related to true rhinoceri, that were descended from the Hyracodontidae.

Hyracodontidae, also known as "running rhinos," showed adaptations for speed, and would have looked more like horses than modern rhinos. The smallest hyracodontids were dog-sized; the largest was Indricotherium, believed to be one of the largest land mammals that ever existed. Paraceratherium, also commonly known as Indricotherium or Baluchitherium or just Indricothere (see taxonomic The hornless Indricotherium was almost seven meters high, ten meters long, and weighed as much as 15 tons. Like a giraffe, it ate leaves from trees. The Hyracodontids spread across Eurasia from the mid-Eocene to early Miocene.

The family Amynodontidae, also known as "aquatic rhinos," dispersed across North America and Eurasia, from the late Eocene to early Oligocene. The amynodontids were hippopotamus-like in their ecology and appearance, inhabiting rivers and lakes, and sharing many of the same adaptations to aquatic life as hippos.

Teleoceras, an extinct rhinoceros genus. Teleoceras is an extinct Genus of grazing Rhinoceros that lived in North America during the Miocene epoch, which ended

The family of all the modern rhinoceroses, the Rhinocerotidae, first appeared in the Late Eocene in Eurasia. The earliest members of Rhinocerotidae were small and numerous; at least 26 genera lived in Eurasia and North America until a wave of extinctions in the middle Oligocene wiped out most of the smaller species. Several independent lineages survived, however. Menoceras, a pig-sized rhinoceros which had two horns side-by-side or the Teleoceras of North America which had short legs and a barrel chest and lived until about 5 million years ago. Menoceras was a now extinct pig-sized Rhinoceros that roamed the plains of the North American mid-west during the early Miocene Epoch Teleoceras is an extinct Genus of grazing Rhinoceros that lived in North America during the Miocene epoch, which ended The last rhinos in America became extinct during the pliocene.

Coelodonta, the extinct woolly rhinoceros. The woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis) is an Extinct species of Rhinoceros native to the northern Steppes of Eurasia

Modern rhinos are believed to have dispersed from Asia beginning in the Miocene. Two species survived the most recent period of glaciation and inhabited Europe as recently as 10,000 years ago. The Woolly Rhinoceros appeared in China around 1 million years ago and first arrived in Europe around 600,000 years ago and again 200,000 years ago, where alongside the Woolly Mammoth, they became numerous but eventually were hunted to extinction by early humans. The woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis) is an Extinct species of Rhinoceros native to the northern Steppes of Eurasia The woolly mammoth ( Mammuthus primigenius) also called the tundra mammoth, is an extinct species of Mammoth. Another species of enormous rhino, Elasmotherium, survived the last ice age. Elasmotherium ("Thin Plate Beast" was a Genus of giant Rhinoceros which stood on average high and long with a single two-meter-long horn Also known as the giant Rhinoceros rhinoceros, Elasmotherium was two meters tall, five meters long and weighed around five tons, with a single enormous horn, hypsodont teeth and long legs for running.

Of the extant rhinoceros species, the Sumatran Rhino is the most archaic, first emerging more than 15 million years ago. Hairy rhinoceros redirects here For the Extinct Megafauna, see Wooly rhinoceros. The Sumatran Rhino was closely related to the Woolly Rhinoceros, but not to the other modern species. The Indian Rhino and Javan Rhino are closely related and from a more recent lineage of Asian rhino. The ancestors of early Indian and Javan rhino emerged 2-4 million years ago. ^[10]

The origin of the two living African rhinos can be traced back to the late Miocene (11-5 mya) species Ceratotherium neumayri. The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 The lineages containing the living species diverged by the early Pliocene (5-3.5 mya), when Diceros praecox, the likely ancestor of the Black Rhinoceros, appears in the fossil record. The Pliocene epoch (spelled Pleiocene in some older texts is the period in the Geologic timescale that extends The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa ^[11] The black and white rhinoceros remain so closely related that they can still mate and successfully produce offspring. ^[3]

Rhino from the San Diego Zoo

Indian Rhino

Rhino skin

Black Rhinos in Ngorongoro Crater

Rhinos at Lake Nakuru

• Family Rhinocerotidae^[12]
  • Subfamily Rhinocerotinae
    • Tribe Aceratheriini
      • †Aceratherium
      • †Acerorhinus
      • †Alicornops
      • †Aphelops
      • †Chilotheridium
      • †Chilotherium
      • †Dromoceratherium
      • †Floridaceras
      • †Hoploaceratherium
      • †Mesaceratherium
      • †Peraceras
      • †Plesiaceratherium
      • †Proaceratherium
      • †Sinorhinus
      • †Subchilotherium
    • Tribe Teleoceratini
      • †Aprotodon
      • †Brachydiceratherium
      • †Brachypodella
      • †Brachypotherium
      • †Diaceratherium
      • †Prosantorhinus
      • †Shennongtherium
      • †Teleoceras
    • Tribe Rhinocerotini
      • †Gaindatherium
      • Rhinoceros - Indian & Javan Rhinoceros
    • Tribe Dicerorhinini
      • †Coelodonta - Woolly Rhinoceros
      • Dicerorhinus - Sumatran Rhinoceros
      • †Dihoplus
      • †Lartetotherium
      • †Stephanorhinus
    • Tribe Ceratotheriini
      • Ceratotherium - White Rhinoceros
    • Tribe Dicerotini
      • Diceros - Black Rhinoceros
      • †Paradiceros
  • Subfamily Elasmotheriinae
    • †Gulfoceras
    • Tribe Diceratheriini
      • †Diceratherium
      • †Subhyracodon
    • Tribe Elasmotheriini
      • †Bugtirhinus
      • †Caementodon
      • †Elasmotherium - Giant Rhinoceros
      • †Hispanotherium
      • †Huaqingtherium
      • †Iranotherium
      • †Kenyatherium
      • †Menoceras
      • †Ougandatherium
      • †Parelasmotherium
      • †Procoelodonta
      • †Sinotherium

Rhinoceros horns

A rhinoceros horn. The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California is one of the largest most progressive Zoos in the world with over 4000 animals Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes. It lies to the south of Nakuru, in central Kenya and is protected by a small Lake Nakuru National In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Chilotherium is an Extinct Genus of Rhinoceros from the Miocene to the Pliocene of Asia and Europe Prosantorhinus is an extinct genus of rhinoceros from the lower and middle Miocene. Shennongtherium is an extinct genus of rhinoceros from the Miocene time period Teleoceras is an extinct Genus of grazing Rhinoceros that lived in North America during the Miocene epoch, which ended The members of the genus Rhinoceros are the one-horned rhinoceroses The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-horned Rhinoceros or the Asian One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis) is a large mammal found in Nepal The Javan Rhinoceros ( Sunda Rhinoceros to be more precise or Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus) is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae The woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis) is an Extinct species of Rhinoceros native to the northern Steppes of Eurasia The woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis) is an Extinct species of Rhinoceros native to the northern Steppes of Eurasia Dicerorhinus is a Genus of the family Rhinocerotidae, consisting of a single extant species the Sumatran Rhinoceros ( D Hairy rhinoceros redirects here For the Extinct Megafauna, see Wooly rhinoceros. The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa Subhyracodon is an Extinct Genus of Cow -sized Rhinoceroses It was a medium sized herbivore on the plains of early Oligocene Elasmotherium ("Thin Plate Beast" was a Genus of giant Rhinoceros which stood on average high and long with a single two-meter-long horn Iranotherium ("Beast of Iran " was a large elasmothere Rhinoceros found in Central Asia Menoceras was a now extinct pig-sized Rhinoceros that roamed the plains of the North American mid-west during the early Miocene Epoch Sinotherium (" Chinese Beast" was a genus of single-horned Rhinoceri of the late Miocene and Pliocene.

The most obvious distinguishing characteristic of the rhinos is a large horn above the nose. Rhinoceros horns, unlike those of other horned mammals, consist of keratin only and lacks a bony core, such as bovine horns. Keratins are a family of fibrous structural proteins; tough and insoluble they form the hard but nonmineralized structures found in Reptiles Birds Rhinoceros horns are used in traditional Asian medicine, and for dagger handles in Yemen and Oman. Traditional Chinese medicine (also known as TCM,) includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast

One repeated error is that rhinoceros horn in powdered form is used as an aphrodisiac in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine (also known as TCM,) includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. It is, in fact, prescribed for fevers and convulsions. ^[13] Discussions with TCM practitioners to reduce its use have met with mixed results since some TCM doctors see rhinoceros horn as a life-saving medicine of better quality than substitutes. ^[14] China has signed the CITES treaty however. CITES (the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments drafted To prevent poaching, in certain areas rhinos have been tranquilized and their horns removed. Many rhino range States have stockpiles of rhino horn, which needs to be carefully managed. ^[15]

Cultural depictions of rhinos

A Rhinoceros depicted on a Roman mosaic in Villa Romana del Casale, an archeological site near Piazza Armerina in Sicily, Italy

Rhinoceros sculpture, Biological Sciences Building, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic Villa Romana del Casale is a Roman villa located about 5km outside the town of Piazza Armerina, Sicily. Piazza Armerina (Sicilian Ciazza) is an Italian comune in the Province of Enna of the autonomous island region of Sicily. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Cambridge Massachusetts is a City in the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts, United States.

There are a number of legends about rhinoceroses stamping out fire. Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. The story seems to have been common in Malaysia, India, and Burma. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. This type of rhinoceros even had a special name in Malay, badak api, where badak means rhinoceros and api means fire. The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the The animal would come when a fire is lit in the forest and stamp it out. Whether or not there is any truth to this has not yet been proven, as there has been no documented sighting of this phenomenon in recent history. This lack of evidence may stem from the fact that rhinoceros sightings overall in south-east Asia have become very rare, largely owing to widespread poaching of the critically endangered animal. Poaching is the illegal Hunting, Fishing or Harvesting of wild plants or animals This legend is featured prominently in the film The Gods Must Be Crazy as well as on an episode of The Simpsons. The Gods Must Be Crazy is a Film released in 1980 written and directed by Jamie Uys.

Dürer's Rhinoceros, in a woodcut from 1515. Dürer's Rhinoceros is the name commonly given to a Woodcut created by German painter and Printmaker Albrecht Dürer in For the origins of the technique and non-artistic use see Woodblock printing; for the related technique invented in the 18th century see Wood engraving

Although rhinos are herbivores, in the novel James and the Giant Peach by author Roald Dahl, the main character's parents are supposedly eaten by a rhinoceros that had escaped from the London Zoo. Herbivory is a form of Predation in which an Organism, known as a herbivore, consumes principally Autotrophs ref name=Campbell>Campbell James and the Giant Peach is a children's book by Welsh author Roald Dahl, originally illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, first published in Roald Dahl ( 13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British Novelist Short story Writer ZSL London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific Zoo. It was opened in London on April 27 1828, and was originally intended to be used

Albrecht Dürer created a famous woodcut of a rhinoceros in 1515, without ever seeing the animal depicted. Albrecht Dürer (ˈalbʀɛçt ˈdyʀɐ ( May 21, 1471 &ndash April 6, 1528) was a German painter, Printmaker For the origins of the technique and non-artistic use see Woodblock printing; for the related technique invented in the 18th century see Wood engraving As a result, Dürer's Rhinoceros is rather inaccurate. Dürer's Rhinoceros is the name commonly given to a Woodcut created by German painter and Printmaker Albrecht Dürer in

In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, five black rhinoceros are seen fighting against the White Witch. The Chronicles of Narnia The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is a 2005 Fantasy film directed by Andrew Adamson based on The Lion The Black Rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis) also colloquially Black Rhino, is a species of Rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa Jadis, commonly known as the White Witch, is the main Villain of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published book in C

Footnotes

References

• Cerdeño, Esperanza (1995), “Cladistic Analysis of the Family Rhinocerotidae (Perissodactyla)”, Novitates (American Museum of Natural History) (no. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. The American Museum of Natural History ( AMNH) located on the Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York, USA is one of the largest and most 3143), ISSN 0003-0082, <http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/3566/1/N3143.pdf> 
• Chapman, January 1999. An International Standard Serial Number ( ISSN) is a unique eight-digit number used to identify a print or electronic Periodical publication. The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China. Christies Books, London. ISBN 0-903432-57-9.
• Emslie, R. and Brooks, M. (1999), African Rhino. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. , IUCN/SSC African Rhino Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK, ISBN 2831705029 
• Foose, Thomas J. and van Strien, Nico (1997), Asian Rhinos – Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. , IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK, ISBN 2-8317-0336-0 
• Hieronymus, Tobin L. (2006), “Structure of White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) Horn Investigated by X-ray Computed Tomography and Histology With Implications for Growth and External Form”, Journal of Morphology 267: 1172-1176, <http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/dbms-witmer/Downloads/2006_Hieronymus-Witmer-Ridgely_rhino_horn.pdf> 
• Laufer, Berthold. 1914. "History of the Rhinoceros. " In: Chinese Clay Figures, Part I: Prolegomena on the History of Defence Armour. Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, pp. 73-173.

External links

• Rhino Species & Rhino Images page on the Rhino Resource Center
• International Rhino Foundation
• The Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya
• SOS Rhino
• Save the Rhino
• The SAVE FOUNDATION of Australia
• Rhinoceros entry on World Wide Fund for Nature website.
• Rhino photographs and information