3D model of a Primeval Horse (NHMW-GEO-1995/0077/0001)

<p>3D scan of a fossilized primeval horse skeleton, that lived in North America. While primeval horses went extinct in Europe, they kept evolving in North America. The three-toed&nbsp;<em>Mesohippus</em>&nbsp;was widely spread throughout the North American continent 30 million years ago.</p><p><em>Mesohippus</em> is an extinct primeval horse genus, that lived 40 to
30 million years ago (Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene) in North
America and is one of the ancestors of the modern horses. Its name
translates to “middle horse”. Compared to their ancestor Eurohippus they grew double in height and could reach a shoulder height of up to 60 cm. The legs started to grow longer, which is an indicator that they evolved after Eurohippus.&nbsp;<em>Mesohippus</em> was a browser, probably feeding mostly on twigs and fruit.&nbsp;This extinct early horse had three toes, with the middle one being the
longest. It had no hooves like modern horses, but rather pads.</p>